Memento Mori:.
by JenovaWitness
Summary: What would have happened if Rufus had followed Cloud on the way to the Temple of the Ancients? This fanfic is about that very situation, so please read + review!
1. Surprise

*Warning*- The characters of Final Fantasy VII in no way belong to me (damn), and therefore I take no credit for the characters, which are all copyright to Square Soft Inc and everyone else who owns Final Fantasy VII! Can you tell I'm not good at writing these things? This story may contain spoilers and some violence, but besides that I don't think there should be too many problems! Please email me if you have any queries or comments… thanks! *^_~*  
  
  
Chapter One: Surprise  
  
The Tiny Bronco, wrecked and beaten up as it was, zipped across the aqaumarine waters quickly, as if it knew the urgency with which its occupants had to reach their destination. And these nine people were definitely not your ordinary group. They had as much in common as fish have with hamburgers, and their personalities were often conflicting, resulting in arguments and days of silence between them. However, they did have one thing in common, and this was their determination to reach the Temple of the Ancients, even though they all may have had different reasons.  
  
The unofficial leader of the group was a pensive man named Cloud, his name ironic because he wasn't at all see-through and transparent like a cloud in the sky- instead he was usually as quiet as a forest without any inhabitants, lost in his own thoughts and issues. Originally, he didn't plan on joining Avalanche, but, he contemplated in his head, things often change. His past was nothing more than a blur to him, his head aching as soon as he tried to even remember his time in SOLDIER. It was as if he couldn't, as if something had happened to him to prevent him from remembering. All he knew was that he had suffered lots of grief, although he would never reveal this to even Tifa Lockhart, his longtime friend.  
  
She sat near him, her own expression thoughtful. As usual, her long, almost black hair was tied at the end with a tough elastic, and she wore her fighting gloves. Her past, too, was a secret to everyone. After Cloud had left Nibelheim when she had been thirteen, Zangan, who she became almost as close as her father to, had taken her up as a potential student. It had been thanks to him that she had acquired such a high-class state of martial arts. She hated Sephiroth with everything she had, everything she felt. It had been five years ago when he had taken away everything important to her, and destroying her hometown, almost killing her as well. If I have the chance, she thought angrily, trying not to let her anger show, I'll kill him.   
  
Aeris Gainsborough seemed to sense her anger, and looked over at her questioningly. She had joined the group after Cloud had fallen through the roof of the church where she grew flowers after a fight, and had been determined to protect the Planet, even though her reasons had been unclear at first. The rest of the group had soon found out she was the last descendant of the line of Cetra, the Ancients, after they had rescued her from the clutches of Professor Hojo, the one man who Aeris firmly believed deserved to die. With most people, she could see at least a bit of humanity in their face, their eyes. But Hojo, she reflected, had nothing inside him whatsoever, as if he wasn't even human anymore.   
  
Barret Wallace stared out at the ocean, his deep brown eyes troubled as he thought of Marlene. He often worried about her, because he had grown to care so much for her. She was so important to him, and if anything happened to her because of that blasted Cait Sith… he clenched his fist, vowing to tear Cait apart if any harm came to Marlene. He didn't trust that d*** cat from the start, and he certainly didn't trust him now. The reason he had started Avalanche had been to protect Marlene from a world she shouldn't have to live in, and the Shinra had seemed the source of the problem. But now, it appeared, Sephiroth was the bigger issue they had to deal with.   
  
Barret sat next to Cid Highwind, who'd only recently joined them. His blue eyes were narrowed in concentration as he struggled to pilot the plane, which had crashed into the ocean earlier and was lucky to be still working. He had learned that if he turned too sharply, the engine would conk out and they could possibly sink. Tifa hadn't been too pleased when she'd also discovered that, and had ended up in the ocean. Though, he thought with a chuckle, she was practically wearing swimmers anyway. Part of the reason he had allied with Cloud and his friends was because he thought that maybe if they foiled Shinra's plans, he might get to fly in space after all. It still burned in his heart like a flame, his longtime dream since forever. And also he had to get away from Rocket Town, that f***ing hole in the ground, the rocket tilted as if to cockily remind him of all he had lost. He shook his head, noticing Yuffie Kisaragi dangling precariously off the wing of the plane, her thin arms hanging down, her fingers skimming the water.  
  
She had been quick to join them, her ninja abilities proving her to be a worthy fighter. Her personality, however, was as unpredictable as the weather. No one really trusted her, but Aeris befriended her and Red XIII had taken a liking to her. Yuffie was the youngest of them, and she acted it, constantly complaining of the long hours they spent walking and the time they wasted on Sephiroth. She would never admit it, but she had a crush on Cloud, and this had influenced her decision to join them. She scowled as the thought crossed her mind, knowing he thought her to be childish and immature. So did everyone else, she thought to herself. She pulled herself back up, and stroked Red on the back of the head, which he loved.   
  
Red purred almost catlike, although he looked much more canine. He, too, was silent, thinking of his father. Seto had been a great warrior, he now knew, not the cowardly beast Red had always thought he was. He hung his head, feeling so guilty for ever thinking his father could betray everyone like that. Now he knew the blood of a courageous warrior flowed through him, he felt more content and at peace with himself, and his father. His grandfather, Bugenhagen, had been the one to tell him to go with the group to defy Shinra and Sephiroth. He'd obliged, already feeling he owed the group his life, which certainly would have ended if he had been kept in Hojo's laboratory. He couldn't even begin to imagine all the horrible things the scientist would have had in store for him, and closed his eyes, trying to forget these thoughts.  
  
Another recent addition to their group was Vincent Valentine, who was always his brooding self. He hadn't opened up to this group like maybe he should have, but after thirty years of imprisonment in a coffin, the result of many horrific experiments conducted on him, he was more than a little wary of people. He had joined this quest for the sake of Lucrecia, and, although no one else knew it, Sephiroth. When he thought of what Sephiroth had become, he almost cried. But he had become a hollowed out person now, unable to show his emotions. He didn't know if this was a result of Hojo (the very name made him grit his teeth and picture numerous slow, painful deaths for the evil professor), or if this was just him. Whatever it was, he knew that if he ever saw Hojo again… he would take revenge. For Lucrecia, for Sephiroth, for himself.  
  
The last member of the group was quiet at the moment, sitting at the back of the plane silently. Cait Sith knew that the group didn't trust him, and he knew that they had good reason. But… he didn't know why, but he had an uneasy feeling about the current position they were in, and where they were heading. This Temple of Ancients… it was just a myth, wasn't it? He shifted uncomfortably, then sensed something behind the small plane, his ears prickling. He bounded up to where Vincent sat tensely.  
  
"I know," Vincent said calmly. "I hear them." Cait turned around to see exactly what Vincent referred to as 'them', and saw none other than Rufus and the Turks, on a fast jetboat. Vincent leaned forward and informed Cid, who let out a string of curses, trying desperately to speed up the plane. The boat neared them, closer and closer. Cloud, Barret, Tifa and Yuffie prepared for a fight, gathering together their equipment and slotting the Materia into place.   
  
"Bl***y b***ards," mumbled Barret, reloading his gun-arm. Rufus stood at the head of the boat, his thin black club glinting evilly in the sunlight. Standing by his side were Elena and Reno, while Rude was steering the boat visciously. Tseng was nowhere to be seen. The boat neared them, until it was right alongside the destroyed plane. Rufus laughed at them, a long bitter laugh.  
  
"This ends here, Cloud," he said coldly, holding his baton tightly, his eyes gleaming. Ignoring Tifa's caution, Cloud stepped past Cait Sith slowly. Rufus' mouth curved in a smile. Until Cloud jumped from the Tiny Bronco onto the deck of the Bolt, landing softly less than a metre away from Rufus, Elena and Reno. With two quick swipes, the blunt side of his sword sending Elena and Reno into the side of the deck, unconscious. Rufus' icy blue eyes filled with fear, as the Avalanche group watched in horror, knowing better than to intervene.  
  
"Three against one is just unfair, Rufus," Cloud said coolly. "You should know that by now." Rufus narrowed his eyes, then shrugged.  
  
"I'm sick of this, Strife," he said frostily. "Prepare to die." He swung his baton at Cloud, who ducked quickly, his grip on his sword tightening as he swung it through the air, hoping to connect with Rufus. But Rufus had already twisted away, coming at Cloud from behind and knocking him to the ground. Cloud recovered quickly, and managed to swipe Rufus' right ankle. Rufus yelled in agony, and Cloud had to roll away to avoid being hit by the baton. The club hit the deck, causing a loud crash. Tifa tensed, wishing she could run out and assist Cloud. Rufus obviously was trained well with that stick, and he wouldn't hesitate to kill Cloud… She bit her lip, and then suddenly shrieked.  
  
"Cloud! Behind you!" Rude had come outside, and was raising a large crate easily, preparing to throw it at Cloud. Cloud turned a second too late, and collapsed to the ground as the crate knocked him unconscious. Barret bellowed out a curse, and threw himself at Rude, knocking the man to the deck with a loud thump. Tifa and Yuffie quickly followed, using their martial arts skills to fight Rufus together. He blocked their attacks, however, proving Tifa's theory that he had been thoroughly trained in the art of baton. Yuffie screamed as he managed to hit her on the head, throwing her off balance and leaving the battle to Tifa.   
  
Rufus seemed amused that Tifa managed to keep up to him, and fought almost calmly, as if he wasn't even trying. This made Tifa feel angrier, and she more viciously attacked him. He matched her, making her feel as if he was playing easy for her. With agility and force that surprised even her, she swung her fist into the side of his cheek, and knocked him to the ground. Aeris took this time now to run over to Cloud and Yuffie, quickly healing them with a Revive Materia. They remained unconscious, however. Red leapt into the battle, pouncing on Reno as he tried to stand. Cait and Cid stayed back, guarding the plane, while Vincent also jumped over to the Bolt.  
  
Vincent landed on the deck lightly, dodging an attack from Rufus. Tifa gave him a small smile, while she furiously attacked Rufus, who ducked easily. Rufus was so skilled that he was able to sock Vincent one, while also fighting off Tifa's attacks. Vincent swung his claw at Rufus, and fell to the ground as the very waters seemed to tremble.   
  
"Uh oh…" mumbled Aeris, tending to Cloud and Yuffie. Red froze, his paws on Reno's chest. Elena stirred near Rufus' feet dizzily. The sky went black, as heavy grey clouds swirled above them, and the waters went still. Barret and Rude stopped their battle, and also turned to stare at the focal point of this strange behaviour, where the dark waters had started to swirl and spin. The whirlpool spun, growing larger and deeper every second. Tifa lowered her fist, now also mesmerised. Cid muttered under his breath, holding his spear. Cait Sith trembled.  
  
Silence followed. Until the waters rose, a huge mass of churning ocean just rising above them, higher and higher. The waters had an eerie glow to them, and Tifa suddenly realised that, at the centre of the hurricane, was a lone figure.   
  
"Sephiroth," whispered Rufus. They all watched in awe, not realising the danger they were in until it was too late. Cloud suddenly stood up, straight as an arrow. His eyes flickered open, glowing an unnatural shade of Mako blue, brighter than ever before. Aeris tried to reach out to Cloud, calling his name, but either he didn't hear her or he ignored her pleas. Cloud floated above the deck, shocking them all, and over to where the glowing figure hovered, suspended in the water. It was Sephiroth, they all knew. His eyes were closed, not giving off their normal Mako glow. Cloud was now hovering in mid-air also, then suddenly his small body took a plunge, the hold no longer controlling him. He fell, free falling, into the cold water below. Tifa cried out as he fell, then covered her face with her hands as he disappeared from sight. Red dove in after him, and also disappeared under the swirling waters.  
  
Sephiroth now turned his attention to the small group on the boat. His mouth twitched, as if to smile, as he raised his arms. The boat was thrown into the air as if an invisible hand slapped it out of the water. Aeris cast a spell around Yuffie, and held the rail as the boat was thrown upside down and back again, held in the air by force until gravity pulled them all downwards, and the boat plunged to the water below, their fate slipping out of their control. Barret stumbled over to Aeris and Yuffie, holding their arms. Before he could reach Tifa and Vincent, the boat hit the water and everything went black, a deep pit of darkness that, maybe, they wouldn't wake up from.  
  
------------------------------------------------------  
  
  
Author's note:- Well, how did you like it? I'm sorry about the cliffhanger… I have a tendency to do that quite often! In Chapter Two, we'll find out what happened to everyone… and get to the point of the story hopefully. Please review or email me and let me know what you think! Thanks everyone ^-^;; 


	2. Awakening

*Warning*- The characters of Final Fantasy VII in no way belong to me (damn), and therefore I take no credit for the characters, which are all copyright to Square Soft Inc and everyone else who owns Final Fantasy VII! Can you tell I'm not good at writing these things? This story may contain spoilers and some violence, but besides that I don't think there should be too many problems! Please email me if you have any queries or comments… thanks! *^_~*  
  
  
Chapter Two: Awakening  
  
Blackness. A never-ending black hole that surely went on forever, darkness. Falling, falling, still falling? Before the darkness, a choke. A gasp. A hand outstretched too late. A light appearing from the midst of the gloom, brightening, constantly getting all the more brighter, brighter. Glowing like a beacon... so bright. Something pulled suddenly, and in one short instant, the light was gone.  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
Vincent coughed violently, feeling as though he'd swallowed ten litres of seawater in one go. Everything ached, from his toes to his throbbing forehead. And it wasn't just an ache either; it was a sharp, hot pain that seared his body every five seconds, causing him to gasp in agony. At least I'm not dead, he thought wryly. Then he realised he was alone, and sat up so quickly it made him clutch his stomach in severe pain.   
  
"Argh!" He let out a moan of anguish, again reminded of the injuries he'd received at the hands of Sephiroth. He ignored this, blocking out the torment and looking around for any one of his allies. His heart sinking when he couldn't see anything but the long stretch of blinding white sand and forest. Ahead of him was nothing but peaceful waters, a clear contrast to the events that had happened only a short time ago. Or was it a short time ago? How long had he been lying on the beach? He noticed that the sun was out, meaning Sephiroth was no longer nearby. Now he was even more worried about his newfound friends and their fate.  
  
He tried desperately to remember where he'd last seen each person. Cloud had fallen into the water, Red hot on his tail after him. Barret had grabbed hold of Aeris and Yuffie, so they were probably safe, while Cait Sith and Cid had still been on the Tiny Bronco. Vincent wondered if they, too, had been overturned. As for Tifa... she had been near Vincent himself as the boat plunged to the water, he recalled, with Rufus lying nearby clutching his cheek. If only he'd managed to hold onto Tifa, maybe he wouldn't be alone right now, practically defenceless. His shotgun was waterlogged, and would take at least three hours to let to water all drain out. His claw felt full of water also, so that wouldn't be much help if he should be in a battle.  
  
"Maybe I am dead," he murmured to himself. "But if I'm dead, I shouldn't be in so much pain. Death doesn't hurt." As soon as he said it, he took back that remark. Death did hurt, more than any injury could ever. Maybe not to the person who died, but to the others who loved that person dearly, it hurt like nothing imaginable. His heart panged as he thought longingly of Lucrecia. If he was dead, where was she? He concluded that he was not dead, and held a hand over his chest, which hurt painfully. As usual, no heartbeat. No surprise, however- he hadn't heard his heart beat for... thirty years. Damn that b***ard Hojo, he thought angrily. He took everything from me thirty years ago; Lucrecia, Sephiroth, my g**-d*** heartbeat. And now he wants to take away my friends. I won't let him.  
  
He forced himself to his feet, ignoring the searing pains in his left shoulder and ankles. He wobbled a bit, but had otherwise recovered enough to stand and walk a little bit. His hearing was much sharper than any normal human's, and he could hear sounds right now coming from his far left, about fifty metres down and a little bit into the forest. He hoped it was one of his friends, realising in a short period of time they had become very dear to him. Relying on his instincts that it wasn't some creature, Vincent set off for the clump of brush that was rustling slightly.   
  
He soon reached the sand just before the noise, and could hear someone groaning softly. Wondering who it was, he curiously peered past the ferns, and was shocked to see Elena, one of the Turks, lying propped against a rock weakly. She looked much worse for wear than he did, her pale face covered with small scratches. He noticed a large gash in her sleeve, blood leaking out slowly. Vincent hesitated, wondering if he should help his enemy who wouldn't hesitate to kill him in any normal situation. It doesn't matter, he thought, bending down next to Elena. If I were to ignore her and leave her here, I'd be just as bad as them.  
  
He wrapped one of her arms around his neck, and pulled her to her feet gently. She seemed oblivious to the fact that she was being half-carried by someone else, almost unconscious. He put his arm around her slim waist carefully, helping her limp back to the beach, away from the creepy vines and brush. He didn't know what to do. Cloud was the brains of the bunch, even if he didn't look it. He always knew what to do, and Vincent himself had always been unsure, second to that blasted Marinald. He dismissed this from his thoughts as a shriek of anger pierced the silence, undistinguishable from human or animal.  
  
Vincent tensed, trying to listen to where the sound had come from. He strained his ears, but his hearing was already severely weakened and he couldn't place the sound. Elena moaned, and her eyes flickered open weakly.  
  
"Who… are you…" she mumbled, her eyes unfocused as she glanced at Vincent. Then her eyes widened in shock, and she squirmed to get out of Vincent's grasp. "You! Let me go…" But she was too weak from the attack from Sephiroth, and her attempts were in vain.  
  
"Look," said Vincent firmly, trying to hold her still. "I'm not going to hurt you." She snorted, but stopped struggling, too worn out to even fight against him.  
  
"Rufus…" she whispered in a meek voice.   
  
"I don't know where he is," Vincent said, still trying to hear the noise. But there was nothing bar the quiet ripple of waves. Elena sighed, starting to regain some of her strength. Vincent let her go, and she sank down to sit on the beach forlornly. Vincent remained standing, trying to spot any land in the distance. But it appeared that they were stranded on some other island, in the middle of nowhere. Who knew how long it would be until they were found? A horrible thought crossed his mind. What if everyone else had been killed… then he would have nothing left in the world. He may as well crawl back into his coffin if that had happened. His heart jumped as he heard another shout, this time it was definitely a girl's voice. He helped Elena to her feet, and they headed to where the sound echoed loudly.   
  
He could place the sound now; it was only a short distance away near where Vincent had first woken up, through the trees. They followed the forest trail, both hearing thuds and crashes just ahead of them. Elena stiffened, as if she heard something behind them. Vincent glanced behind them nervously, but there was nothing there. He continued, hearing Elena's soft footsteps following him. The sound was just in the clearing ahead, and he pushed through some hanging vines which almost seemed to welcome him into their grasp, tumbling out the other side.   
  
"You good-for-nothing p***k!" someone yelled weakly. Elena stumbled after Vincent, still very exhausted from their encounter with Sephiroth before. Vincent pulled himself to his feet, and almost laughed at the scene before him. It was a relief to see Tifa safe, but she was brandishing a large stick at Rufus, who held a fern. Both were obviously as tired as Vincent himself, but were determined to hurt the other before collapsing. Vincent shook his head at the unsurprising situation, and decided to put an end to it before someone else got hurt. He closed his eyes, concentrating with all his might on what he was about to do. Astonished gasps filled the clearing, and he opened his eyes again. It had worked.  
  
Tifa and Rufus were suspended in mid-air, a few feet above the ground.  
  
"Now listen," Vincent said shortly. "Once I let go of you, don't attack each other, or I'll throw you up a tree, got it?" He knew Tifa would listen, but Rufus was as trustworthy as a fox. His blue eyes glared at Vincent steely, while Tifa's eyes observed him with interest. He let them both go, releasing his hold on them which had drained just about the rest of his energy and strength. Tifa jumped to her feet, and rushed over to him fervently.  
  
"Vincent!" she cried. "I didn't think anyone made it, thank goodness you are alright!" She flung her arms around him, and then withdrew almost immediately, wondering if she had been too forward. Vincent, on the other hand, had felt almost human again when she held him, and returned to the feeling of emptiness as Tifa stepped back, and turned to face Rufus, who was being held up by Elena shakily. He eyed them both, pure anger in his eyes.  
  
"This isn't over," he said heatedly, and turned to go.   
  
"Wait!" Vincent yelled, before he could stop himself. Rufus and Elena turned back to them, their eyes full of questions. Vincent paused; even he was unsure why he had stopped them. "We should stay together…" Rufus managed an amused laugh, shaking his head in disbelief.  
  
"You've got to be kidding me," he said evenly. Elena didn't say anything, staring at the ground silently. When Vincent didn't reply, Rufus raised his eyebrows. "You're serious…" He laughed again. "Look, rebel, I nor Elena need your help whatsoever, so if you'll excuse us. You're lucky that I'm too enervated to kill your spiny a**es now, but I will recover so expect a call long overdue from me in future times."   
  
"Let the weasel go," Tifa seethed, glaring at him. Rufus glowered back at her, and limped out of the clearing, Elena assisting him without saying a word. Vincent watched them disappear, still feeling uneasy. Tifa shrugged, her brown eyes narrowed as she stared at Vincent.  
  
"Why did you want them to stay?" she asked in astonishment as soon as they were gone. Vincent didn't reply, his face shadowed. "Hello! Vincent!" She'd always hated being ignored.   
  
"I am sorry," he said finally. "I just have a really bad feeling about all this." And he did. There was a feeling of dread building up inside him, and it was much stronger than any emotion of hatred that he felt towards Rufus and the Turks. Something was very wrong, and the division between the two groups would only lead to disaster. He could feel it, sense it. Tifa wouldn't understand, nor would anyone else, because it wasn't something he could explain in words. Just a feeling. Tifa looked up at him expectantly, but he just turned away heavily. Her eyes were full of questions he couldn't answer, questions that he himself did not know the answers to.  
  
Tifa looked down at the ground, wondering what Vincent meant by his words. A bad feeling… anyone would have a bad feeling about something if their group had been divided by a crazed, superhuman being whose mind was concentrated on fulfilling some mission that would surely bring destruction to the world. And also if Cloud was missing… She tried not to fill her head with horrible thoughts of her longtime friend lying on the ocean floor dead, knowing that she couldn't believe that. Cloud was stronger than that, and so was everyone else who'd been involved in the incident before. It was just a matter of finding them.  
  
Vincent explained that they would probably have to find a campsite for the night, somewhere far away from the forest and preferably high up. They didn't know how large the island was, so Tifa offered to climb the nearest tree and see if she could spot any nearby areas that they could camp at.  
  
"This one looks alright," she said, pointing to a mahogany coloured tree. Vincent nodded, and gave her a boost so she could reach the first branch. She quickly made her way up the tree, grasping each branch as she hoped desperately that she wouldn't slip and fall. The branches were quite strong, and held her weight without moving. Tifa reached the top swiftly, and pushed away the branches to see around her. The sight was breathtaking. In front of her were a large amount of trees, all huddled together as if in some meeting. Just beyond them were some tall reeds, suggesting the existence of a lake. To her left were mountains and cliffs, the grey a sharp contrast to the green surrounding it. To her northeast was the clearing, which looked much smaller than it had when she was fighting Rufus in it. To her right were more trees.  
  
"What's it like up there?" called a muffled voice. Tifa looked down, and almost puked when she saw how high up she was. Vincent wasn't much more than a blob on the ground.   
  
"Scary!" she yelled back. She returned her gaze to the surrounding area, trying to pick out a good campsite. There was a small area nearby where she was, which was close to the beach and not surrounded tightly by trees. "There's a tiny clearing nearby that I think would be good!" Vincent nodded, or at least that's what she thought he did, and she started to climb down slowly.  
  
Vincent watched as Tifa made her way down the tree, trying not to look at the obvious places. He cursed himself for even looking at all, and stared around him. The forest seemed deadly silent, and this made him feel edgy. Without much more than the slight sounds of a struggle, Tifa yelled out and Vincent's eyes shot up again, to see some vines wrapping themselves around her. He jumped up and grabbed hold of the first branch, scrambling as quickly as he could up the large tree. By the time he reached her, Tifa was quiet. And unconscious, he noticed. His gun was still useless, but his claw had dried out a little, and he swung it with all his might at the vines. They were sliced in half, but some of them remained wrapped tightly around Tifa's ankles and wrists.   
  
More vines appeared, and struck him with surprising force. He fell back against the trunk with a sharp intake of breath, winded. His agility aided him as the vines came after him, and he jumped up to the next branch, then down again. Tifa was held by the vines, her head hung. Vincent hurried to free her, swiping at the vines that were bound tightly around her wrists and ankles. She fell free of the vines, and he clambered to the ground quickly, holding her in his arms. There were red marks on her arms, which looked painful. He swallowed a gulp, and landed on the ground lightly. She had said there was a clearing nearby, so all he had to do was find it. He carried her through the forest, soon finding the small area she had talked about. It was a good size, about twice his body length wide and circular shaped. There were a few large, flat stones in the centre of the clearing, which would be perfect for makeshift mattresses that night.   
  
It almost seemed a little too perfect… Vincent shrugged, laying Tifa down on the rock ledge carefully. She seemed okay, and was breathing heavily but nothing to worry about. She must have just fainted from lack of oxygen when the vines had wrapped around her. Vincent checked through her backpack which was still damp, and found some bandages, a waterproof torch, a few Materia, some rations, matches, a small cloth, soap, a few small bottles labelled 'ANTIDOTE', 'ELIXER' and 'POTION', two Phoenix Downs and a small pouch. Feeling slightly intruding, but his curiosity getting the better of him, Vincent opened the pouch and emptied the contents into his hand.  
  
A delicate chain slipped out, with a small pendant of a crystal teardrop. The chain was a thin silver one which looked very frail but was quite strong, Vincent discovered as he tugged lightly on it. The pendant itself was amazing. It was only small, but the pale blue crystal sparkled with all the colours of the rainbow and more, glimmering brightly. Vincent wondered about the origin of this necklace, and whether it had some sort of special magic blessed upon it like many other necklaces around the land. And he also wondered why Tifa never wore it. It seemed like a waste, to let such a necklace just lie at the bottom of her backpack in a pouch.  
  
Tifa was breathing lightly now, as she recovered in her sleep. She would probably wake up soon, Vincent realised. He placed the necklace back into its pouch, and put everything back into the bag. Vincent built a small circle of stones, which could be used as a campfire site for later on as the night fell. It was late afternoon now, the sun dipping behind some clouds every now and again. Night would come in less than two hours, and he had to be prepared. He cast a Barrier spell around the camp, which wouldn't stop anyone from coming in completely, but would offer a slight protection that would give him and Tifa precious seconds to retreat. His eyes rested on Tifa, who seemed to be completely recovered now, however she still slept peacefully.  
  
....She is quite a fine lady, almost as fine as Lucrecia....  
  
Chaos' voice chilled Vincent to the bone. No, Vincent screamed in his head, trying to make Chaos retreat. Chaos was a part of his life that he had become used to now, but that didn't mean he wasn't terrified of the demon's presence. It made him as if he had no control over himself, which sometime he didn't. Before anything could happen, Vincent ran from the clearing, from the campsite, from Tifa, through the forest and back to the beach, where he collapsed on his hands and knees, breathing hard.  
Chaos wasn't something he wanted to tell anyone about, but he knew the inevitable would happen. And he just hoped that it would be later rather than sooner. He knew he would never have control over Chaos, and this frightened him more than a lot of things. Suicide crossed his mind, but he brushed this thought away, knowing he would be leaving Tifa alone, and letting down Lucrecia again. His last failure was a burden on his shoulders, one he longed to make right but knew nothing he did could ever make him feel fully forgiven.   
  
He stared at the damp sand, feeling it between his fingers. I am Vincent Valentine. I am human beneath all this and I can overcome. How he wished he could believe those words. How he longed to feel normal again, to feel like a human. But, he thought bitterly, I'll never be as I was thirty years ago. Hojo has certainly seen to that. Chaos' whispers had died down now, no more than quiet murmurs in his mind, things he could control. But he couldn't go back to the camp now; it wasn't safe for him or Tifa. He didn't like Tifa in that way, but Chaos didn't care about that kind of emotion.  
  
The sky was darkening quickly now, the light blue changing to lavender. Clouds drifted above him, shrouding the bright stars that were slowly coming into view. Vincent sat up, his legs stretched out in front of him. He brushed the sand away, loathing the feeling of the sand granules under his fingernails. He overlooked this, leaning back on his hands as the now black waters rippled softly. The clouds themselves seemed to be disapparating, showing the darkness above which was studded with stars.   
  
A memory floated down upon Vincent, intruding his mind unwelcomingly. The last time he'd sat on a beach watching the stars… His heart ached and his eyes stung. Of course, he thought resentfully, Hojo would leave the emotions of pain and hurt in him. The last time he had been in this situation was with Lucrecia, two nights before Sephiroth was born and the love of Vincent's life died. How he remembered the look on Hojo's face when Sephiroth was born. The absent glance at Lucrecia, lying on the white bed, still as death. Vincent himself had been collapsed against a wall outside, his heart broken.  
A wave of sleepiness swept over Vincent, and he welcomed it. His mind was already pained after reliving the scene in his head, and the events of the day had tired him out. He wanted nothing more than to just fall asleep, right there on the sand, under the stars. And that was what he did.  
  
-------------------  
  
"Vincent… I'm scared."  
  
"What do you mean?"   
  
"I'm scared for you, I'm scared for myself, but most of all… I'm scared for my baby."  
  
"Then trust me, Lu, and leave here with me tonight. We'll go away from here, away from everything that could hurt you."  
  
"But… you know that could never work, Vince. I'm married to Hojo…"  
  
"… But I love you, more than anything in the entire world, in the entire universe. And I know you love me the same way!"  
  
"I do…"  
  
"Then what's wrong?"  
  
"I don't know… I love Hojo, and I can't betray him. I promised that I would spend my life with him, and I will. Even if it means that I die."  
  
"Don't ever say anything like that! I will never let anything happen to you, never!"  
  
"I'm sorry, Vincent. I can't leave, even if it means that my baby will have to stay. I would love to leave here with you, but I just can't. Hojo… he loves me. And if this is what he wants, then I am going to give it to him. He saved your life, too, Vince!"  
  
"…"  
  
"Look up there, at the stars… aren't they pretty?"  
  
"…"  
  
"Please don't be mad at me… You of all people should understand my loyalty to him. You have loyalty to Shinra, don't you?"  
  
"That's different. Shinra isn't going to kill me or inject cells of some creature whose effects on humans isn't even researched!"   
  
"…"  
  
"Lucrecia… nothing I say is going to change your mind… All I can say is I love you, more than life itself, and I'll be by your side to the end, no matter what happens."  
------------------  
  
  
Author's Note:- Ahh… I finished it! Yay! *jumps up and down* So let's reflect on what happened this chapter. About where this is set, if you look at the map on FFVII, you can see a small group of islands to the east of the Temple of Ancients. Basically, Sephiroth threw the boat up in the air near there, and Vincent, Tifa, Rufus and Elena are on the biggest one. Yeah.. I know that there are no mountains or anything on the island in the game _;; but be imaginative! For all those Cloud lovers out there… heh. No comment. Next chapter will have some development in the island, so stay tuned! And please review!! *^_^* I love reviews! *dances off to do a Drama assignment* Bye! Also, if you know anything about making the stories look better, please, please, please email me! Thanks heaps!  



	3. United

*Warning*- The characters of Final Fantasy VII in no way belong to me (damn), and therefore I take no credit for the characters, which are all copyright to Square Soft Inc and everyone else who owns Final Fantasy VII! Can you tell I'm not good at writing these things? This story may contain spoilers and some violence, but besides that I don't think there should be too many problems! Please email me if you have any queries or comments… thanks! *^_~*  
  
  
Chapter Three: United  
  
Ouch, that hurt… Where am I?  
  
Seems awfully dark, much too dark for daytime, maybe it is night? It is cold too. Maybe it is a winter night. Eyes… they are too heavy to open. Or maybe they are open? Hard to tell. Am I awake? Am I dead? And why can't I feel my fingers…  
  
Perhaps I am dreaming, and now I will wake up. Come on, god d*** it! Wake up, you moron! I need to wake up, I can't stay here any longer. My mind feels all fuzzy. Almost as if it isn't even there anymore. And my fingers, I am trying so hard to bend them and yet I cannot feel them moving! What is that pain in my arm, I can feel that. A needle? But I am not at the hospital! That's the only place you get needles! I hate needles, why do I hate needles? I've never had one…  
  
That humming in my ears, it's soothing. Beckoning me to fall into the eternal sleep of death, I want to fall. I want to die. I don't know where I am. It seems strangely familiar, but I've never been in a place like this! The pain; it seems never ending and I can barely control myself. This has to be a dream; no reality could hurt so much. That screaming, it's hurting my ears… am I screaming? Please… let it all end.  
  
Who am I?  
  
-------------------------------------  
  
Vincent woke with a start to find himself lying on a stone slab, a blanket wrapped around him. Where am I, he thought wildly, sitting up quickly. Then he remembered everything. He looked around him and saw Tifa sitting at the campfire, poking it glumly. Her normal optimism had faded slightly, but she looked up brightly when she saw him. He pulled himself off the stone wearily, the blanket dragging around his shoulders, and sat down next to Tifa rather awkwardly.   
  
"I found you asleep on the beach," she said softly. "So I brought you back here. How come you were on the beach?" She noticed the averse expression on Vincent's face, and hastily added, "You don't have to tell me, I don't mind." Vincent stared into the dying flames quietly, his thoughts whirling. Tifa seemed to sense the friction and didn't say anything. The first signs of daylight were poking up from the horizon, and the sky they could see above them was lightening considerably. The new day had started.  
  
"There are… some things about me… that I keep to myself," Vincent explained. "And it's not that I don't trust you; it's just that I don't… trust myself…" He trailed off, returning to his blank gaze into the burning flames that were slowly disappearing. Tifa was again perplexed with his personality, wondering what he meant. He seemed to talk in riddles- if only she could decipher them. But she said nothing, mostly because she had nothing to say. Vincent seemed happy to sit in silence, reminding Tifa strongly of another person she had been really close to. She suppressed her emotions, wishing their small group was reunited, or that she at least knew if everyone was okay.   
  
How long were they to spend on this island, without any way of knowing if their other friends were okay? Tifa realised she would literally swim off the island before spending any more days on it, not knowing if Cloud was even alive. Something had to be done. Every muscle in her body froze as she heard the light footsteps, and she stiffened. She turned to tell Vincent, but he just nodded. Of course, you id**t, she told herself, Vincent's hearing is heaps better than yours. Vincent stood up, this deep red eyes scanning the area around them anxiously.  
  
Tifa, too, stood, and tried to spot any sign of movement. Too late. Something swung from her right, and knocked her square on the shoulder. She stumbled, panting, and kicked her leg out at her attacker. She heard Vincent gasp, and heard some loud thumps as figures were thrown to the ground. Tifa herself kept fighting off the attacker, who was shorter than herself but very well trained in fighting. It was a challenge to keep up with the little enemy, and even more so to injure it. Finally, she decided to just knock it out by using an Ice Materia.   
  
The figure fell to the ground, severely weakened, and dashed off before she could get a good look at it. Nearby, Vincent was fighting fiercely against three opponents, somehow managing to keep up to speed with the trained fighters. The sky was lightening faster now, and Tifa could almost see the faces of their assailants who were opposing them. She jumped in to help him, realising that she had just been standing there watching Vincent exchange blows, and backhanded one of the offenders. It fell down, but jumped up almost instantly and launched itself at Tifa. She was thrown to the ground, and struggled to fight the thing off.  
  
For the first time, she got a close look at its face, and she was repelled at the grossness of it. The creature almost looked human, except that its skin was a sickly green and was covered with warts. It had deep red eyes, and a protruding brow that reminded her of the pictures of Professor Hojo that she had seen in newspapers. The creature wasn't that tall- only up to her shoulder when she was standing- but it had long, bony arms with large hands at the end, ruby-red claws clenched into fists as it struggled to land a blow. She kicked it off, disgusted, and jumped to her feet swiftly. Vincent had managed to scare off the other two, and the third now ran off after its fellow creatures.   
  
"What was that about?" he asked, wiping some grime off his cape. Tifa stared after the creatures, her nose wrinkled.  
  
"I don't know," she said with repulsion in her voice. "But I hope I never see those ugly things again!" She shuddered, remembering the slimy green face, and started to roll up the sleeping bag and blankets.   
  
"It's probably not safe to stay here again tonight," Vincent mused, gathering together his things. He didn't have much to gather. He heard Tifa gasp, and turned around to see her holding one hand to her face in horror. Without speaking, she just pointed shakily at the stone slabs that had been their bed. Vincent followed her gaze, and saw the splashes of dry blood on the rock.  
  
"It's okay," he said off-handedly. "I know about that time of month." Tifa flushed red, but shook her head firmly.  
  
"No, that's not it," she said in an embarrassed voice. "And besides, it's on the slab you slept on, not mine." Vincent glanced back, and saw she was right. He quickly checked himself over for cuts or bruises, but there were none that he was aware of. Something was fishy. "Perhaps it was when we battled those creatures?" However, Tifa's voice sounded wavy and uncertain.  
  
"No, it isn't," Vincent said quietly. "It has been there for more than a day." Tifa looked at Vincent with questioning eyes, but he just looked down and shook his head. "It's human blood, Tifa." She seemed to finally understand what he meant, and her face fell.   
  
"Human… blood?" she whispered. "But… it can't be…" No one could have died, no one from Avalanche… She shook her own head in disbelief. "It could be anyone," she argued. Vincent nodded, but didn't say anything. Tifa swallowed, not willing to believe that any one of her friends could have been there. Especially Cloud…   
  
They both sprang to alert when a noise filled the clearing. It sounded like several animals crashing through the forest at once. And the sound was getting closer with every second they stood there. Vincent tapped Tifa quickly.  
  
"The tree," he said, pointing. She nodded, and they hurried to clamber up the rough bark. They crawled up to the nearest thick branch that extended over the stone slabs. Tifa quickly counted the stones, realising in alarm that there were three, in a triangular pattern. Why hadn't she noticed this before? She had a really bad feeling about those stones now… They watched and waited in silence as the crashing grew louder, and both gasped when two familiar shapes were thrown out of the bushes into the small clearing.   
  
"Elena and Rufus," Tifa breathed. It was indeed them, and they didn't look too good. In fact, they both looked so badly beaten that they were almost unconscious. Tifa struggled with the emotions inside her, knowing that the Turk and the President of Shinra had done some horrible things, but also knowing that no one deserved that kind of treatment. She tensed, ready to jump down into battle, but Vincent held her back.  
  
"Wait," he whispered. They watched as Rufus, defiant as ever, tried desperately to stand, but fell back to his knees weakly. Elena had collapsed in a heap against the rocks. Rufus again tried, and was struck down by a large baton. Tifa moved her gaze to see some of the creatures they had fought before gathering into the clearing. Another one, a much larger creature who was probably taller than she was, stepped gracefully into the area, holding a large trident. She felt Vincent stiffen beside her, and wondered what he had seen. His red eyes were concentrated on this new creature.  
  
"Marinald," muttered Vincent under his breath. The creatures hurled their captives to their feet. Rufus had a large purple bruise forming on his cheek, and a thin stream of blood trickled down his neck. Elena was barely standing, her legs wobbling.   
  
"We have to do something," Tifa urged quietly. Vincent just nodded, but his gaze never left the creatures. There was something he was missing… Elena and Rufus were pushed roughly towars the stones. Another one of the creatures stepped forward, unsheathing a long, shiny sword from a pouch. Elena's eyes widened in horror, and Rufus' narrowed.  
  
"No way," he said stubbornly, yet weakly. "You are not killing the President of Shinra! Don't you know who I am! If Rude and Reno were here… boy, are you guys going to pay, with your fiery deaths!"   
  
"SILENCE!" The voice boomed across the area, commanding yet deadly. Rufus fell silent, his eyes trained on the ground. Tifa recoiled in shock- she hadn't realised the creatures could speak english. "HE SHALL DIE FIRST FOR HIS IGNORANCE!" The creature pointed at Rufus, who was dragged to the stones and forced to lay upon them, on the very stone Tifa had slept so peacefully on last night. She shuddered involuntarily- what would have happened if those creatures had attacked during the night? Rufus was strong, but not strong enough to survive being decapitated. No one was. Elena whimpered softly, and sank to the ground in a stupor. Rufus seemed to have lost his spirit, and lay on the slab as if waiting for the clunk of metal to arrive.  
  
Too late it was when Vincent sensed the prescence behind them. All he heard was a thunk, and then everything went black.  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
Tifa groaned, rolling on the ground sluggishly. She had no idea where she was, but she did remember being knocked rather roughly on the head by some huge wood club. And now here she was, lying on the ground. She tried to get up, but discovered her hands were tied tightly behind her back. She winced as the ropes cut into her skin, and stopped struggling. Someone stirred beside her, and she prayed that it was Vincent. Using her martial arts training, she rolled onto her back then flipped herself up so she was standing. She realised her feet were also tied, making it slightly difficult to walk.  
  
"Awake… you're," mumbled Vincent, propped up against a wall. He looked pretty bad, with some mud smeared on his cheek. Tifa briefly wondered if she looked the same, and hopped over to him.   
  
"Are you okay?" she asked, bending down next to him. His eyes were unfocused, and he seemed to gaze at her almost deliriously.  
  
"Lucrecia!" he cried, and threw his arms around Tifa, holding her close to him. She shifted uncomfortably, feeling awkward. He had just embraced her and called her Lucrecia. Who was that? She pulled away, her face pink.   
  
"Vincent, I'm not Lucrecia," she said firmly. She wondered why Vincent's arms hadn't been tied like hers were. He seemed different all of a sudden, as if something had happened while she'd been asleep. "Come on, pull yourself together and untie me!" Vincent seemed to not hear her, staring at the wall opposite as his mind worked. Suddenly, his red eyes darkened, making him look more human than ever before. He looked several years younger, even with his collar pulled up and his hair disarray. And the expression on his face was so different… she couldn't describe it.  
  
"Come on, Rachel, I'll take your daddy to the Shinra hospital, you just go with Marinald here okay?" Vincent said gently to someone Tifa couldn't see. She could hear something in his voice, however… evil? Vincent stood up, glancing down at the ground. Obviously he was seeing something there that Tifa couldn't understand. He withdrew his gun, a smile twitching his lips. With what looked like pure satisfaction, he let cocked the trigger and let it go, shooting a bullet into the ground. Tifa screamed and jumped back, into the wall behind her. She struggled to untie the ropes that held her wrists together, making slight progress but not quick enough for her liking. Vincent continued to stare down at the invisible person only he could see, then he turned to face Tifa, a look of ice cold malice in his crimson eyes.  
  
"Charity," he said cold-heartedly. Tifa whimpered, wishing he would stop getting her name wrong. She pulled on the ropes, hoping they would untie. Her stomach turned when she caught sight of the gun still clutched in his hand. He approached her, til he was standing barely twenty centimetres from her face. "So sorry about dear old Than over there." His tone made it clear that he was not at all sorry. Tifa backed away, and found she was flat against the wall. "Let me make it up to you." Tifa grimaced.  
  
"Sorry about this, Vince," she muttered, as she launched a flying punch to his chin. He was sent flying against the wall, and collapsed in a heap unconscious. The ropes fell to the floor, and she undid the ones on her ankles as well. Not that good of a tying job, she thought to herself. There was not time to think about Vincent's behaviour, only time to escape the apparent cell she and Vincent were in. It had a dirty cement floor, which was cracked where Vincent shot it, and one small window. It was quite dark in the sky, which meant she had been out cold for awhile. Hopefully it wasn't the next day.  
  
"Not bad," said a low voice. Tifa spun around and saw Rufus, lying against the wall in the shadowed part of the cell. She was surprised that she hadn't noticed him sooner. He wasn't tied up either, but she noticed some ropes lying on the ground next to him. He looked as bad, if not worse, as when they had seen him with Elena, and she narrowed her eyes though she felt pity.  
  
"Who are you to say that?" she hissed. Rufus snorted.  
  
"The same kind of person as you who would just watch two people about to get killed," he replied smoothly. Tifa shook her head.  
  
"You would do the same if it were us, and besides, we were actually going to help you," she said.  
  
"Yeah right," Rufus scoffed, holding his side. "It doesn't matter now, though, because we're all going to die anyway." Tifa winced, trying to think of how to escape. Thick bamboo bars crisscrossed on the window, preventing breaking the window open and escaping that way. The door was to her left, and seemed to be made of bulky steel.   
  
"Where are we?" she wondered aloud. Rufus shrugged, standing up. He was obviously still very weak and tired, but determined not to let it show.   
  
"We should probably get out of here," he suggested. "What about old vampire boy over here?" He gestured to Vincent, who was still on the ground. I didn't realise I hit him that hard, Tifa mused in her head.   
  
"First we have to think of a way out," she said, looking around her. The walls were made of concrete, and so was the ceiling, so that prevented escape. The door was probably also guarded by creatures, so that was out of the question. The only other choice was the window. An idea struck her. She turned to Rufus.  
  
"Do you have a Fire Materia?" she asked. He nodded. She suddenly noticed the absence of Elena. He held out the Materia to her, and she equipped it. Then she used the most powerful fire spell she could on the bamboo, which easily melted away, leaving a large gaping hole for the prisoners to climb through. Tifa turned back to Vincent.  
  
"Can you help me pick him up?" she asked. Rufus rolled his eyes, but grabbed Vincent by one arm. Tifa took the other, and they hauled him through the window first. Then Rufus pulled himself up, leaving Tifa in the cell. She jumped up a bit and dug her fingernails into the soft soil outside, pulling herself through the window. She was surprised when Rufus reached his hand out, and helped her up. But any thoughts of him being nice were dropped when he snatched his hand away and put it in his pocket as soon as she was standing.   
  
"Look, you guys can scat now," he scowled. "I have to find Elena." Tifa bit her lip.  
  
"I'll help you," she said, "but first you have to help me get Vincent to a safe place." Rufus shrugged.  
  
"I don't need your help," he said coolly.  
  
"But I need yours," Tifa answered. After a moment's silence, he yanked Vincent up by the arm again and helped Tifa drag the ex-Turk to a nearby patch of bushes. Tifa had no idea where they were, but followed Rufus. The area they were in was a clearing, perhaps near the lake because she could see some tall reeds over a hill. There were four buildings in all, one distinctively larger than the others and coloured a dull brown. The rest were grey.   
  
"Where would Elena be?" Tifa asked.   
  
"If I knew, I'd have gotten her out by now," Rufus stated, hunching against the wall in a spy like manner. Tifa copied him, and they worked their way to the centre of the four buildings. It didn't take long to locate Elena, as she was screeching obscenities at her captives. They saw that she was tied to a pole in the very centre, with many creatures sitting crosslegged around her. Tifa noticed something around their necks, and with a shock, realised that they were collars. A nagging feeling at the back of her head warned her at the top of its lungs to run away.  
  
She saw the leader of them, who Vincent had called Marinald. Who was Marinald? He was carrying his trident again, a smug look on his scaly face. That was assuming he was a he. She couldn't tell. Marinald was standing next to the pole, as if awaiting something. He, too, had a collar around his neck, which meant he couldn't be the one controlling all the others. There was someone else...  
  
A noise echoed through the area, getting louder and louder. It sounded almost like a... helicopter? Tifa waited in anticipation, crouching down. It was indeed a helicopter, and it hovered above the buildings. Rufus gasped when he saw the Shinra logo on the tail, and realised it was possibly someone to rescue him. A ladder was thrown down, and a figure scuttled down it in a crab-like fashion. It jumped to the ground, and stood up.  
  
"Hojo..." spat Rufus. "I should have known." Hojo had a remote control device in his bony hand, and he pushed a small red button. At once, all the creatures bowed before him. A smile crossed his face, and he pushed back his greasy hair.   
  
"Hello everyone," he said calmly. Marinald stepped forward. Was he trembling? Hojo looked at him disdainly. "Have you finished the project? Is Jaknos ready to be shipped back to Shinra headquarters?" Marinald shook his head slightly. Hojo instantly pushed the green button, and Marinald fell to his knees, holding his head in pain. His cry of anguish rang out through the clearing. Finally, Hojo stopped.  
  
"I asked for it to be completed," he said. "We are expecting to start experimentation on it by mid-June, so we can analyse and compare its data to other specimens. I want it completed by next week, so we can start early." He glowered down at Marinald. "It better be, or you will regret being nothing more than a failed experiment," he added in a menacing tone. Hojo noticed Elena, and his brow furrowed.  
  
"Isn't that a Turk?" he inquired. Marinald shrugged.   
  
"She is one of the ones we found yesterday," he said lowly. Hojo's eyes lit up.  
  
"The Turks were supposed to be following that Cloud boy and his companions Perhaps all is not lost after all! Alright, continue with your work and have Jaknos prepared by next Wednesday." With that, Hojo climbed back up the ladder and the helicopter flew off. Beside her, Rufus seethed.  
  
"That dirty b***ard!" he snarled. "He didn't care that a Turk, a member of his own company, was about to be the bl***y dessert for these creatures!" Tifa could understand how he felt, wondering what kind of person Hojo really was. Rufus decided to take action there and then, and Tifa followed him into battle. He cast Bolt2 on all the creatures, and they were shocked long enough for the two to rush up to the stage, where Elena was tied. She was overjoyed to see them, and gladly let them untie her. Marinald rushed at Tifa, who tripped him and sent him spiralling to the ground. He got to his feet quickly.  
  
"It's too late!" he hissed in triumph. A rumbling shook the area, sending a chill up Tifa's spine. The creatures scattered, leaving the three alone on the stage. Rufus was struggling with the last ropes, and hurriedly untied them. Tifa squinted into the evening darkness, as the last of the sun disappeared. The rumbling grew louder, and before they knew it, a gigantic creature had pushed its way through the forest towards them. It was an ugly creature, with bags of skin hanging off its gangly face, and many legs protruding from its body. It almost resembled an ant, but had bright red eyes that reminded Tifa of Vincent's ruby gaze.   
  
"We can't outrun it," murmured Rufus. "We're going to have to fight it." He laid Elena gently down on the stage, and withdrew his baton. Tifa clenched her fists, as the beast approached.   
  
"Ice3!" yelled Rufus, sending a blizzard to the creature. It was struck heavily, but didn't seem too damaged. Tifa used a Bio spell on it, and it had no effect whatsoever. The creature lunged towards them, and they both jumped then attacked it while it was down. Tifa had never hit so hard in her life, and prayed that the creature would die. Rufus, too, swung at it, until the creature roared in fury and let loose a brilliant array of lightning and ice. Tifa was thrown against the pole, while Rufus landed hard on the ground. Time to finish this, he thought viciously.  
  
"Odin!" he cried. The black-clad warrior on the six-legged horse came through the sky, holding his sword in position. Odin charged towards the beast, and swiped it in half. The creature was killed instantly, and Odin rode off in victory. Rufus weakly looked up, and took Tifa's hand as she offered it. They got Elena and headed back to where Vincent lay. Tifa was pleased that they had been able to help each other, and was shocked that Rufus actually thought of anyone besides himself. He obviously had a fondness for his employees if he would go to that length to save one of them. She wondered what tomorrow would bring, if they would become allies. It seemed a far way off, but, as they held Elena up, it seemed almost possible.  
  
That night, however, the two pairs slept on either side of their campsite. Perhaps it would be a little longer before they completely trusted one another.  
  
--------------------------------------  
  
Author's Note:- WOOHOO! I finally got it finished *cheers joyously* Sorry about the wait, I couldn't figure out where the plot was going. But now I think I have, so I'm very happy! Thank you so much to the people who have reviewed my story so far, because without them I probably wouldn't be completing it. Reviews are what keep me inspired, so please be one great person and review for me! In the next chapter, we might find some of the other characters, so that will be good... and what has happened to Cloud? *gulp* Stay tuned! 


	4. Memories

*Warning*- The characters of Final Fantasy VII in no way belong to me (damn), and therefore I take no credit for the characters, which are all copyright to Square Soft Inc and everyone else who owns Final Fantasy VII! Can you tell I'm not good at writing these things? This story may contain spoilers and some violence, but besides that I don't think there should be too many problems! Please email me if you have any queries or comments… thanks! *^_~*  
  
  
Chapter Four: Memories  
  
A shadow breezed down the stairs in a blind fury, with only one thing in mind. The stairs seemed to blur, as if they were spinning, but in reality they were as still as the cold stone they were. The person who descended these stairs, ambushed by his own grief and rage, seemed oblivious to the bats that fluttered above his head, and continued his descent angrily. He reached the bottom, and hurried towards his goal, a small, damp room that he would eventually become very familiar with.   
  
In his mind rushed thoughts of his betrayal, and an unmistakable burden of guilt. To some extent, he knew that he couldn't have prevented what had happened. But in his ideal world, he could have. He threw the heavy door open, with strength that he didn't know he possessed. It slammed open loudly, revealing a man in a labcoat inside. He glared at the man standing in front of him, who didn't look at all surprised to see him. Every ounce of anger inside his body swelled at the sight of this... monster... just calmly proceeding with his daily routine. He truly wanted to kill him.  
  
"You knew she was going to die!" he accused, barely knowing what he was saying. His mind was foggy; he was so furious. The man in front of him shrugged nonchalantly. He thought he could just play with lives like they didn't matter!   
  
"We knew it was a... possibility," he said hostilely, scowling back at the intrusive Turk standing before him. The Turk shook his head in disbelief or perhaps unwilling to believe. The scientist laughed internally. Why were his concepts so difficult for others to understand? No matter. Just have to get rid of him now. "Could you please see fit to leave the room?" The Turk glowered, his dark red eyes looking at him with... hatred? The scientist's heart skipped a beat when he held up the journal. Not any journal. The journal that contained... everything.   
  
"Where... did you get that?" he hissed violently. The Turk just glared back.  
  
"I'm taking this to Shinra, and I'm showing them exactly what you are doing. When the HRA find out about this, you'll be killed. When they find out what your plans for Sephiroth are, they'll make sure you rot in hell. Maybe they will stop there. Maybe they won't. But if they don't make sure you pay, I will." Foolish boy. The scientist shook his head in pity, almost but not quite regretting what the boy would soon go through.  
  
"I'm sorry, Vincent, I really am," he said softly, with no real remorse in his voice. Then he withdrew his hidden shotgun, and aimed at the Turk calmly. The Turk's eyes merely widened in shock and pain as he staggered forward, holding his stomach. Hojo smiled grimly in satisfaction as he watched the blood slowly drip to the floor. The bastard was getting what he deserved. His eyes looked at the scientist's pleadingly, but the scientist just stepped back. Did he really expect mercy out of me? The Turk collapsed to his knees, and the scientist could tell that he was near death. But there were other plans for this boy. Many other plans.  
  
----------------------------------------------------  
  
Vincent awoke abruptly, breathless and pale. His vision was slightly blurred but he could tell that it was night. Probably early morning actually. His hair fell in his eyes, and he reached up to brush it away. That was when he realised that he couldn't reach up. His hands were tied behind his back, and a sudden rise of alarm surged through him. Maybe Hojo had found him… He pulled against the ropes, grunting angrily. How could he have let himself to get caught like this? A soft hand on his shoulder stopped him- it definitely wasn't Hojo's touch. He twisted his head around and saw Tifa's warm brown eyes looking at him. He frowned at her, wondering what was going on. A dark look crossed her face, and she turned away.  
  
"Tifa!" he said in confusion. "Where are you going?" The pleading in his voice made her turn around. Or maybe it was something else.  
  
"You called me Tifa!" she exclaimed in joy, wriggling back over to him. She untied him, and he swung his arms back to normal in relief.   
  
"What was that about?" he asked. She paused, then laughed almost bitterly.  
  
"You don't remember?" she asked doubtfully. He shook his head slowly, feeling sick in the stomach. It had to be Chaos, he must have lost control of himself and allowed that beast to come forward… Tifa again hesitated, a look of indecision on her face.  
  
"What is it?" Vincent asked, wishing she would just tell him.   
  
"Vincent…" she began. "Who's Lucrecia?" She knew she had hit a nerve when she saw the expression of shock cross Vincent's face. But when the expression of shock was replaced by one of shame, she briefly wondered if he even knew what she was talking about. He wouldn't look her in the eyes as he spoke.  
  
"What happened?" he asked stiffly. But the look on her face told him that he had to explain who Lucrecia was before she would tell him anything. With a heavy sigh, he told her as little as possible. "Lucrecia was someone I was very close to before I was put in the coffin." She looked at him sceptically.  
  
"Alright… someone I loved," he admitted. "Now tell me what happened."   
  
"Well, you called me Lucrecia," she said slowly. He knew there was more to it. "And Charity," she added, expecting an explanation. He flinched at the mention of the name, and his eyes darkened.   
  
"You don't need to know about that," he said coldly, making Tifa draw back nervously. Vincent sighed again, and stood up. Then jumped back when he saw the two figures lying nearby asleep. "Rufus?" His voice was one of complete astonishment. Tifa nodded.  
  
"He helped me save you…" she said softly. "I didn't expect it, but he surprised me." Vincent nodded silently, his mind somewhere else entirely. Charity… no wonder Tifa had regarded him with suspicion. But why didn't he remember anything of what had happened? All he remembered was a sharp jabbing in his arm, and then nothing until he awoke tied to a tree. His chin felt a little sore for some reason. He rubbed it thoughtfully, not noticing the blush that went across Tifa's face. Across from them, Rufus grunted and rolled over.  
  
"Well, you should probably get some sleep," Tifa said. "It's about three in the morning." Vincent nodded, knowing he wouldn't be able to sleep. Not now. He desperately wanted to know exactly what had happened- what he had said, what he had done. But now wasn't the time to ask. Because Tifa would only want to know the answers to questions he didn't want to answer. He just couldn't bring himself to tell her. Tifa gave him a small smile, and snuggled into her sleeping bag. Then she stopped and looked up at him guiltily, for he had nowhere to sleep, but Vincent just shook his head.  
  
"I'll be fine." Tifa nodded, and turned on her side. I'll be fine, Vincent thought. Yeah right. He sat there until he heard Tifa's rhythmic breathing, then left the clearing. The sky was lighter than normal, which meant the sun rose earlier here. Vincent scowled. He'd always hated the sun, ever since he got released from his laboratory prison, only to get put into the coffin he'd called home for thirty years. How weak he had been, to let Hojo continue, to let Lucrecia die. He pushed through the hanging vines, and through pure instinct found his way to a lake. The moon shimmered high in the sky, not a cloud in sight. The stars twinkled brightly, and the area was lighted with an eerie pale white glow. So peaceful yet discomforting.  
  
Vincent sat down on a rock, unaware of his shoes slowly sinking into the shallow mud. As it usually did when he was alone, his past crept up on him like a slithering snake. He had done so many things, controlled by Shinra. And it had taken so much to stop him, to make him realise what he was doing. He sighed, wondering if he would ever make up for these deeds. It seemed he would forever be in repentance. He knew that he eventually had to tell Tifa the truth. The real truth. The lake was rippling quietly, the tiny schools of fish stirring beneath its surface.   
  
Vincent jerked in alarm when he sensed the person behind him, but saw that it was only Elena, the Turk. He turned away again, to stare at the pool of water before him, hoping she would leave. But she didn't.  
  
"You were a Turk, weren't you?" she observed quietly. He ignored her. "I know about Lucrecia... that is how I knew that you were a Turk once. But... that was a long time ago, wasn't it?" Vincent turned, away from her prying eyes, so his back was to the nosy girl.  
  
"How can you be so sure?" he remarked coolly. She hesitated.  
  
"I... have access to some files," she said finally. Vincent turned to look at her, his eyes blazing. Elena gasped meekly, stepping backwards in panic.  
  
"The journal," he uttered under his breath. "Did you see the journal?" Elena shook her head slowly, thinking back to when she had hacked the system. Most people believed her to be nothing more than a ditz, but those people didn't know about her secret major in technology and, more importantly, hacking. Tseng wasn't one of those people. He believed in her. She only wished that she knew where he was. Vincent again turned away from her, his silent barrier again taking over.  
  
"Your leader may not be alive much longer," he mused. Elena raised her eyebrows.  
  
"Tseng?!" she asked, worried. "How do you know?" But Vincent had again retreated into his invisible shell, and did not reply. Elena seemed to sense the tension in the air, and returned to the campsite to wonder about her leader. She shouldn't be so worried about what a rebel said. There was nothing to worry about...  
  
---------------------------------------------------  
  
"For goodness sakes, just get out with it!" demanded Rufus impatiently. "It can't be that bad!" The unlikely group sat in a small circle, and all eyes were on Vincent. His eyes darkened, and he looked away. Rufus sighed in annoyance, not used to anything but getting his own way. Tifa looked at Vincent sympathetically, knowing that there was a dark and mysterious past that he hadn't revealed. She knew that because of what he had said the other day. He had had authority over Than and Charity, and that said something.  
  
"You really want to know?" he hissed viciously, revealing a side to him that no one had witnessed. His eyes were burning with anger and regret. Rufus nodded in satisfaction.  
  
"Of course I do," he said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. His normally ironed white coat was slightly crumpled, giving him a dishevelled and almost dangerous look. Even with Vincent glaring him down, Rufus remained calm. Vincent closed his eyes, as if to rid himself of Rufus and his annoyingly commanding behaviour.   
  
"I was a Turk thirty years ago," he said shortly. Elena hid her small smile of triumph. "But... I was different then. I was one of the most feared and hated Turks of all my group, and second only to a man named Ramsey Marinald. Together, in our 'pack', we'd roam the land to towns and cities that we were told to go to by Shinra, doing what we were instructed to do. Which often involved killing innocent men, women and children in cold blood. Nothing could stop us, until I made the mistake of falling in love, and paid the ultimate price. I was... ignorant. I believed I could change my ways, and that love conquered over evil. I was wrong." No one spoke. Rufus' brow furrowed.  
  
"My father... you were under his instruction?" he questioned. Vincent just nodded. Tifa suddenly spoke up.  
  
"What happened?" she asked curiously. Vincent lowered his gaze.  
  
"I was foolish enough to confront an corrupted, deranged scientist who in return spent weeks using me... as an experiment." He looked away in shame, his eyes dark. Tifa felt her heart go out to the man, who had obviously suffered more than she ever had, or ever would. She was wrong about that, because her future held more trials than she could imagine. But she, of course, did not know that. She did have a fair idea who was responsible for Vincent's capture, however.  
  
"I'm sorry," she whispered. Vincent shook his head.  
  
"Don't be," he said angrily. "The only person who should truly be sorry is me. I should have died thirty years ago, with my love. But... I didn't..." He choked, and for a moment seemed to forget that Rufus and Elena were looking upon him with a morbid interest.   
  
"Marinald," murmured Rufus. "The monster thing back at the village?" Vincent glanced up at him.  
  
"Yes," he said. "That was once my boss, my rival since we were both young. We used to fight all the time, but then we allied together at the last moment. When I disappeared from Nibelheim, he knew immediately what had happened and sent in all the Turks of that time to find Hojo. I had called him to tell him about Lucrecia's illness, and that he shouldn't worry about me. So of course, he did. Hojo captured all of the Turks, except one-" Rufus interrupted in shock.  
  
"My mother..." he whispered. Vincent raised his eyebrows.   
  
"Rhiannon... was your mother?" he asked with pity in his quiet voice. Rufus nodded. Vincent blinked.  
  
"She shouldn't have been a Turk in the first place," Vincent said bitterly. "She had been so innocent, but over the years she was corrupted and turned cold. And then, when she was the only one who escaped from Hojo's grasp, he ordered her-"   
  
"-killed," Rufus finished. Elena glanced at Rufus. She had obviously not known his past. "When I was two years old, she disappeared from the headquarters. Father put everything into trying to find her, but we never found her. No one ever saw her again..." His voice trailed off sadly, and his shoulders sagged. Vincent noticed the look on Tifa's face, realising she felt sorry for the man that only three days earlier hated so much. He shook his head at the irony of it. It always took something dreadful for people to realise the friends and allies that they really had.   
  
"Hojo did it, didn't he?" Rufus mumbled, looking at his hands sullenly. "He killed my mother." Vincent nodded slightly.  
  
"And many more," he said quietly. "Throughout that time, I was imprisoned in my coffin, unable to do anything. I heard the screams of my friends, as they were put through torture more horrible that death. And I could do nothing but listen. Over the years, the strong seal on the coffin loosened, but by then I felt no need to escape. What was the point? My life was over. I should have been dead. Then... Cloud and Aeris came. I didn't trust them at first, but then when they told me about Sephiroth..." Tifa looked at him in confusion.  
  
"Where does Sephiroth come into this?" she asked. Vincent paused, feeling the anxious tension in the air. Were they ready to find out the truth?   
  
"He was... Lucrecia's child," Vincent muttered. "He could have had such a loving life. She wanted to hold him so bad. To love him. But as soon as he was born, he was whisked away by his father to be experimented on. His own father!" Something suddenly dawned on Tifa, and she realised where Hojo fitted into this puzzle.  
  
"Oh my god..." she murmured. Vincent stood up abruptly, startling them all.   
  
"I have to go back," he said determinely. "I have to tell Marinald that I knew how hard he tried to save me, even after all those years of fighting. I have to." He left the clearing quickly, leaving the other three to digest everything they had just learned. It was late afternoon now. The day had quickly passed as they had slept until about one, due to their past day's exhaustion. Then they had awaked, only to lie around feeling depressed and wondering if they would ever be found. Vincent had caught some fish, and they had all munched sombrely.   
  
Tifa stood up, about to go after him.  
  
Tifa!   
  
She spun around, clutching her head and looking suspiciously at Rufus and Elena, who looked blankly back at her.  
  
Tifa! Are... okay?   
  
Someone was definitely calling her. She looked around, feeling prickles go down her spine. Who was it? Elena and Rufus both glanced at her, and she realised she was the only one who could hear the soft voice. She strained to hear it again, but the voice was gone.  
  
-----------------------------------------------  
  
"Ramsey... I'm so sorry. I was there the whole time, unable to help you when you needed me the most. It's all my fault." Vincent hung his head, wishing he had been stronger, strong enough to resist Hojo. Marinald shook his head, a hand running absently through his hair.   
  
"No, Valentine. I should be the one who is sorry. All these years... they have changed me," he said in a gruff tone. "I was in my forties to begin with. You... you had your whole life ahead of you. But we couldn't save you. Hojo had one of his pets knock us all unconscious, and then subjected us to experiments one at a time. I'm only glad that Rhiannon escaped..." He stopped when he saw the dark look that crossed Vincent's face.  
  
"She's dead, isn't she?" he said dismally, more of a statement than a question. Vincent only nodded. Marinald let out an angry choke, and clenched his fist. "Vincent... I wish that we could have saved you from Hojo. We should have went with you in the first place... I'm sorry." The two both looked away from each other, feeling awkward. Finally, Vincent spoke.  
  
"Marinald," he began. "I know the future looks bleak, but whatever you do, don't lose hope. Don't give up. I promise you that I will do all I can to help you, but for now you must trust me. Do what Hojo says, but only to the extent that he makes you. Despite the years that we disagreed, I now see how similar we are. And... I will avenge Rhiannon. And everyone else. And especially you, my friend." Marinald's eyes were watery, and he suddenly lunged at Vincent and hugged him fiercely. Vincent was a little shocked, but hugged him back.  
  
"No matter what," Marinald said as he stepped back. "We'll never let our pettiness stop us from allying against the real enemy again." Vincent nodded, feeling a bit more at peace with himself.  
  
----------------------------------------------  
  
Tifa watched Rufus from where she was hidden behind some ferns. He was standing at the edge of the cliff, deep in thought. Tifa shook her head, wondering why she was spying on him. Elena was back at the camp, asleep again. She frowned when she saw him look down at the rocky ground below, wishing that she could say something to comfort him. Vincent had been right. The gap between the two groups had dropped, somehow, and she no longer felt so much dislike towards the President of Shinra. He was only a few years older than she was, yet he had gone through so much. Again she felt so sheltered, but in a good way.  
  
Watching him made her think of Cloud. She wondered where he was, if he was okay. She prayed with everything she had that all her friends were alive, and okay. But she knew that, just as she could be, any of them could easily be wiped from existence. Being the optimistic person she was, Tifa wouldn't allow herself to think such thoughts.   
  
Tifa! Can you hear me?  
  
She gasped, knowing that voice anywhere.  
  
"Aeris...?" she whispered.   
  
Tifa! You're alive! Thank the Planet! Where are you?  
  
"I'm... here," she murmured. "Somewhere on an island."  
  
We're coming for you guys! Just sit tight, and we'll find you tomorrow!  
  
"Okay... Aeris." Tifa could hardly believe that Aeris was coming with everyone else to save them. It was a miracle. Everyone was safe. They could be a group again, and go to the Temple of Ancients and save the world. It may have seemed a far run, but at that moment, Tifa felt like anything was possible. She returned her gaze to Rufus, and gasped, pouncing and running towards him. He had a knife poised right at his wrist, and started to press down on it, closing his eyes.  
  
"Rufus!" she shrieked, nearing him. He turned around in shock, fumbling with the knife. He managed to cut himself deeply, but Tifa snatched the knife away and threw it over the cliff. It clattered loudly to the ground below, and Rufus slumped down. Tifa managed to catch him, glaring at him. He looked so different, so weak.  
  
"What do you think you're doing?" she snapped. He scowled at her, not saying anything. Tifa placed her hand around his wrist tightly, trying to slow the blood flow. She helped him over to a rock, and made him sit down on it. Rufus grimaced, his energy slipping. Tifa took out a Restore Materia, and used the strongest spell she could on him. The cut shrunk drastically, and the flow of blood stopped. Finally, there was nothing more than a thin scar.   
  
"Why did you stop me?" he muttered angrily, staring at the ground.   
  
"You think you can just run away from your problems?" Tifa hissed. "You think that if you kill yourself, it will all end there? What about Elena? And the Turks?" Rufus brushed this away.  
  
"They don't care about me anyway," he said. "All they care about is the money." Tifa narrowed her eyes.  
  
"All this pity, Rufus," she said. "There are other things at stake here. Like the fate of the Planet! You can't be so selfish!" He glowered, clenching his fist.  
  
"For all you know, we could stay on this island forever. Our last destination will be here, on this bloody hole in the ground, as the world ends. Do you really want to end it that way?"   
  
"I happen to know that by this time tomorrow, we won't be here anymore," she said. Rufus looked up in hope and disbelief. Then his expression faltered.  
  
"That doesn't change anything," he said softly. "I never knew about Hojo's betrayal until now." Tifa shook her head angrily.  
  
"So you can go stop him! We all will! He can't stand up to all of us." Rufus sighed, his head in his hands. Tifa felt a wave of sympathy for him, wishing she knew what to say.   
  
"I'm... so sorry... about your mum," she said quietly. He let out a choked sob, something she hadn't expected.  
  
"I never knew!" he said desperately. "All these years, I trusted Hojo. I never knew..." He wiped his eyes, standing up and turning away from Tifa. "But, I will make that asshole pay. I will make him beg for mercy. He took so much from me... I cried for years after she disappeared, until I eventually became as cold-hearted and uncaring as my father... but I won't let that happen again." He turned to Tifa, smiling weakly. "Thank you... Tifa. For stopping me." She gave him a small smile back, and he offered a hand to help her up.  
  
-------------------------------------------------------  
  
--Hehehe... They think they have outsmarted me for now. Just wait until they see what I have planned next.--  
  
-------------------------------------------------------  
  
Authors Note:- Finally finished Chapter IV! Phew! Slightly longer chapter this time. Well, let's look back at what happened. To anyone who has read my other story 'Part II- Heart of Stone', you might have recognised the scene with Vincent and Hojo. I changed it a bit, though, having a bit more of Hojo's thoughts in it. Some new characters introduced here, and some old ones will re-emerge next chapter. Or at least the ones you guys are familiar with. So what did you think? Please let me know by reviewing!! Thank you everyone!  
  



	5. Reunited

*Warning*- The characters of Final Fantasy VII in no way belong to me (damn), and therefore I take no credit for the characters, which are all copyright to Square Soft Inc and everyone else who owns Final Fantasy VII! Can you tell I'm not good at writing these things? This story may contain spoilers and some violence, but besides that I don't think there should be too many problems! Please email me if you have any queries or comments… thanks! *^_~*  
  
  
Chapter Five: Reunited  
  
The reunion the next day was, although joyous and fortunate, a bitter one. After Aeris had managed to contact Tifa, the others had set out early the next day to find their lost party members. Tifa, Vincent, Rufus and Elena had sat around anxiously, all desperately relieved to be leaving the island after those few days there. Elena had been the first to spot the jetboat that was speeding towards them to pick them up, and she squealed with excitement at being reunited with her fellow Turks. Even quiet Vincent jumped to his feet in relief, and Tifa couldn't help grinning as wide as a chesire cat.  
  
As the boat had pulled up, despite the great joy to see their friends alive, there was a slightly worried look that shadowed Aeris' cheerful face. And, as Tifa had looked at the boat, she saw why. While Barret, Aeris, Yuffie and Cait Sith were on the boat, there was no sign of Cloud, Cid or Red XIII. Her face fell, and she tried to smile as Yuffie flung herself at Tifa in delight. Yuffie seemed oblivious to the saddened faces of those around her. Even Barret had trouble keeping a normal face when it was so blatantly obvious that their other friends were missing. Rufus and Elena hung back, both looking slightly too proud to join in the reunion. And, also, they knew they weren't welcomed by the other group.  
  
"Erm…" started Rufus hesitantly. Barret shot him a cold glare, but Tifa shook her head warningly at him. Barret looked at her in confusion, as did Yuffie and Cait. Aeris didn't look the faintest bit surprised, however. Tifa blushed, and Rufus quietened.  
  
"He… um, helped us," Tifa said uncomfortably. "Without him and Elena…" She trailed off, and everyone knew that the divergence that had so long separated the ignorant Rufus Shinra from the rebellious Avalanche had finally been filled, in the most unlikely circumstances. Barret's frown softened, and he held out a heavy hand awkwardly to Rufus, who took it just as uncomfortably and they shook. Tifa felt slightly awed watching them, for never had she even thought that Rufus and Barret would do anything but try to kill one another.   
  
"Yer friend's back in Mideel," Barret muttered, pulling his hand away. Elena's eyes lit up.  
  
"Reno and Rude?" she asked eagerly, happy at the thought of rejoining the other Turks again. Aeris bit her bottom lip, and Barret said nothing. Elena's face darkened, and her smile faded. "What happened to them?"   
  
"Well, yer friend Reno is alright, I s'pose," Barret began, thinking of the red-haired Turk who had spent the entire time while in Mideel in a small bar. "But, erm, we never found the other one of yer friends…" Elena's eyes welled up with tears, as she thought of Rude. He had been the solid founding of the Turks, while she and Reno constantly fought. He never took either side, always staying neutral. The thought of him being gone forever… Cait suddenly spoke up uneasily.  
  
"We couldn't locate Cloud, Red XIII or Rude," he said quietly, his hands clutched together. Elena's face paled, and she didn't say anything. "But this could mean that they aren't dead at all. The radar couldn't pick up any sign of them under the water in the mile radius of where we were… surprised… by Sephiroth. They could have swum ashore somewhere. Aeris has been psychically trying to reach them all since the accident, as she has been trying to reach you. Fortunately we located you, but as for Cloud, Red and Rude…" He shrugged. "We can still hope to find them, however." Tifa hadn't said anything, but now she turned to Cait in a soft voice.  
  
"Cait, you were in the Tiny Bronco when it happened, weren't you?" she asked. Cait nodded. "Did you see anything, such as where Sephiroth headed afterwards or where Cloud landed?" He shook his head.  
  
"I'm programmed to go into automatic shutdown when there is a possibility of excessive water clogging in my system. I saw nothing."  
Yuffie let go of Tifa, stepping onto the sand lightly. Vincent glanced at Cait with a thoughtful expression.  
  
"You never mentioned Cid in all this," he said. Barret shifted restlessly, while Aeris gave Vincent a sad smile.   
  
"He's in a coma back in the hospital in Mideel," she said miserably. "We tried everything we could to wake him up, but he hasn't even responded. The doctors said he was hit by flying shrapnel, and it knocked him deeply unconscious." Tifa gasped in shock, while Vincent stared at the ground. They had lost two of the group so far, with a possibility that they would lose a third.   
  
"We should probably get back," Tifa mumbled, climbing aboard. Vincent, Rufus and Elena followed her lead, and with heavy hearts the group headed back to Mideel.  
  
-----------------------------------------  
  
Tifa sighed as she looked down on Cid's sleeping form. He looked so peaceful. To anyone else, he would appear to be in a light sleep, but you only had to look around him to see the reality. Several machines, all beeping madly, were connected to him in some way or another. And that doctor – what was her name? Dr. Meria, that was it- had said that his comatose condition was slowing worsening. Tifa touched the long gash that ran across Cid's forehead lightly, tracing the stitches. Besides the cut, he appeared the same. He even had that small amount of stubble on his chin, Tifa noticed fondly. The door creaked slowly, and she looked up to see Yuffie enter timidly. Her normally bright face was drawn, and she gave Tifa a small smile.   
  
"Has anything happened?" she asked softly. Tifa shook her head. Yuffie came and stood next to Tifa, her gaze on Cid. "It's so quiet without his constant cursing. Even Barret misses it." Tifa nodded, allowing the words to wash over her. Yuffie sat down on one of the small cushioned chairs in the room, and ran a hand through her hair.  
  
"We're all split up now," she said wistfully. "Will we ever be the same stupid bunch of losers we were before?" Tifa, however, had no answer to that.  
  
A slight rumble shook the ground, and Tifa tensed nervously.  
  
"What was that?" she asked, licking her dry lips. She was in no condition for battle, so she hoped that it wasn't a monster. After living on only small fish and berries for the past few days, she was a little worse for wear. As were Vincent, Rufus and Elena. Yuffie dashed outside, calling something about checking with the others. Tifa stayed by Cid's side, worried. It couldn't be Sephiroth, could it? A pit of dread in her stomach deepened, and she found herself compelled to look out the window. But, besides the slight rumbling, there was nothing out of the ordinary. Her eyes widened as her gaze fell upon a small crack in the hospital ground, and she stepped back cautiously.   
  
Some pure green liquid was spilling out, and she could tell from the heavy stench what it was. Mako. Before long, the small spurt had turned into a fountain, and she had to duck to avoid being sprayed with Mako. She hadn't know that Mako gathered so close to the surface of Mideel… could it possibly be an opening to the Lifestream? She gasped as drops of Mako landed on Cid's face, and shoved a machine over the crack to stop it. The machine beeped shrilly, and to her horror, started buzzing. Cid's heart monitor sped up, but Tifa didn't notice. She pulled the machine back, and frantically tried to step on the crack with her shoe.   
  
"Yeeouch!" she cried as the liquid hit her skin. She longed to curl up and clutch the burning area, but Cid was in more danger than her. She unhooked some of the machines, gently pulling out the small needle attached to his wrist. The crack widened, and the Mako started pouring onto the floor. Tifa desperately prayed that the machines weren't necessary for Cid's being alive, and shoved the bed out from against the wall. It would easily fit through the doorway, but avoiding being showered by Mako was a different matter. Tifa waited, and then flung the bed with accurate aim towards the doorway. It slowed just outside the door, and she sighed with relief.  
  
But now she was faced with the problem of getting herself out. The Mako crack had split across the floor now, a small gap in the ground. It flowed around her feet, and was quickly going to reach her ankles. She prepared to leap towards the door, but another crack opened up and she was hit with a full blast of the putrid smelling fluid. She gasped for air, feeling a burning sensation rush all over her. The pain was unbelievable, and she collapsed to her knees in numb shock. She barely even noticed as someone strongly grabbed her arms, and pulled her to safety, away from the Mako flooded hospital room.   
  
-----------------------------------------  
  
"Cloud…" Tifa couldn't bring herself to open her eyes, as they felt like lead. She was lying in someone's arms, and she couldn't remember why. It had to be Cloud. A nagging thought at the back of her head told her otherwise, but she ignored it. Of course it was Cloud. She tried to sit up, and felt sharp pains shoot through her. Her mind felt foggy, but she couldn't even remember why. She struggled to open her eyes, and finally managed to open them weakly.  
  
"Are… you okay?" asked a tense voice. Everything was still blurry, and she could only make out a pair of blue eyes. She nodded vaguely, feeling safe for now in this person's arms. She wasn't sure if it was Cloud, but something told her it wasn't. Her sight was coming back to her, and she focused on the person holding her. Light orange hair… Rufus?! He sensed her alarm, and held her a bit tighter.   
  
"It's alright, I'm not going to hurt you!" he said firmly. She quietened down, and closed her eyes.  
  
"I… miss Cloud…" she mumbled. And she did. She missed everything about him, from his stupid lopsided half grin to the way he'd always lie and tell her that everything was going to be okay. And the way he would gaze at her calmly with his pensive blue eyes. She missed him so much. And now she remembered that no one had seen Cloud for days, and worry filled her. She sat up weakly, feeling faint. Rufus shared her worried frown, and loosened his grip.   
  
Tifa looked down at herself, and saw that she was covered with a thin green layer of Mako. She grimaced, still aching slightly. But she couldn't have healed this quickly…  
  
"I used a Restore Materia," Rufus admitted. "Found it in your bag." She nodded, looking around her. They were near the hospital, on the side close to the forest.   
  
"Where are the others?" she asked feebly, wobbling as she tried to get to her feet. Rufus pointed to where she could see Barret talking to some man with a goatee. Rufus helped her to stand, and she looked at him in gratefulness. He flushed slightly red, and looked away. As they neared where Barret stood, she spotted Aeris who looked really happy. She wondered why.   
  
"So, all dis time, you've been controllin' that damn cat?" Barret was saying in disbelief. The man nodded. He looked distinctly familiar, but Tifa couldn't place her finger on his name. Barret shook his head, then smiled when he saw Tifa. "You okay?"   
  
"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied, then gave the man a pointed glance. "Who's that?" Barret chuckled, as if it were some joke.  
  
"That's yer Cait Sith," he said. Tifa raised her eyebrows, as the man suddenly turned shy. He looked so familiar; where was he from?  
  
"I'm Reeve, head of the Urban Development at Shinra," the man said to Tifa, holding out his hand. She took it curiously and shook his hand. She'd known Cait was a robot, but… this man controlled him? Reeve… he was a high employee of Shinra in Midgar. That was how she knew him. "You, um, might want to wash that Mako off," he said awkwardly. Tifa laughed, already taking a liking to Reeve. He was so much like Cait; it was scary. Aeris called her name, and she turned to see Cid giving her a goofy grin from his hospital bed.  
  
"You're awake!" she shrieked, running over and throwing her arms around him. He winced, and she saw that he had a new bandage around his head.   
  
"Mako s***," he said. "Woke me up; got a f***ing headache though." He looked shocked as Tifa grinned at him. "What the f*** is up with you, huh?" Tifa just shook her head in happiness, realising just how much she had missed his constant foul language. She beamed down at him, making Cid shift uncomfortably. "I got a bloody hole in my head, I know that," he grumbled.   
  
Yuffie and Cait were playing cards, and Yuffie squealed when she saw Cait was cheating. Reeve blushed, as Cait told Yuffie he'd been programmed to cheat. Barret approached Cid heartily, giving him a high-five.   
  
"You moron," Barret said. "You had us all worried!" Cid just gave him a smirk, sitting up. Then Barret's face grew serious, and Cid knew what he was about to ask.  
  
"Yes," he said, his voice barely audible. "I saw Sephiroth." He sounded strangely different. Tifa and Aeris sat on the bed, while Reeve, Rufus and Barret stood. Vincent had gone off somewhere by himself, and Elena was nowhere to be seen, probably at the bar with Reno getting drunk. Barret glanced at Cid expectantly, waiting for him to go on. He nodded.  
  
"The SOB just watched as you guys took the plunge. Didn't do a f***ing thing. Though, you wouldn't expect the sad a** b***ard to help you when he caused that s*** in the first place. Anyway, he just ignored me and hibernating Cait, and I think he headed the direction we were going to start with. Then, I got hit by some f***king metal and Cait slept. I don't remember anything else." Tifa noticed Aeris' pensive expression.  
  
"The Temple of Ancients," she mused, her green eyes cloudy. "The Planet… it cries out… something is not the way it should be." Everyone turned to look at Aeris in confusion, wondering what she meant. Aeris just shook her head, and ran towards the forest. Tifa sighed.   
  
"We should probably head to the Temple of Ancients," Barret stated.   
  
"I'll send Cait along with you," Reeve said, gesturing to the cat atop the Moggle nearby. Yuffie looked up.  
  
"I'm coming too!" she declared, jumping up. Cid was reluctant to stay behind, but agreed that he wasn't in the best shape. Tifa said that she would go with them, and guessed that Aeris and Vincent would probably agree to come as well. Rufus hesitantly offered to come, and blushed when Tifa gave him a warm smile. That's funny, Tifa thought secretly. I've never seen him act that way before… Elena and Reno decided to stay behind with Cid, mostly because they were too intoxicated to even walk. Rufus shook his head in disgust at them, but they didn't seem to notice.   
  
"Well, I'll go get Vin-" Tifa didn't get to finish her sentence, as Vincent and Aeris both came back. They decided to leave straight away, as they had already wasted enough time in Mideel. Everyone going to the Temple hopped aboard the Hurricane, another of Shinra's jetboats and the one that had rescued Tifa from the island the day before.  
  
Tifa was the last to climb onboard, hoping the boat had a shower, and Reno waved stupidly as he unhooked the rope tying the boat to the jetty. Barret snorted, and went to check on Vincent and Aeris who were controlling the boat. Yuffie and Cait went to the captain's cabin to play cards, leaving Rufus and Tifa on the deck. Rufus went to the head of the boat, the wind whipping his coat. Tifa stayed at the back, leaning over and watching the propellers chop up the water. She stared down at the churning waters, drawing back when she thought she saw Cloud's face flicker in the water.   
  
"Oh god," she muttered. "I'm seeing things now."   
  
"That's never good," said a voice. Tifa shrugged as Rufus came and stood next to her. For some unexplainable reason, his presence comforted her. She turned to look at Rufus, who was staring back at Mideel. His wrist was exposed, and she could see the thin line where he'd cut himself.   
  
"Those idiot Turks," Rufus said, shaking his head. "After everything, Reno still goes to a bar and gets smashed, dragging Elena down with him. Rude would've done that too…" Tifa gave Rufus a sympathetic look.  
  
"I'm sure he's okay," she lied, wishing the same for Cloud. She'd only just found Cloud again. She wasn't about to lose him.  
  
"Yeah, maybe," Rufus said. He turned to Tifa, his eyes troubled. "Do you ever get the feeling that this, all this, is wrong?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Tifa asked, but she really did know. She'd had that feeling ever since she'd seen Rufus' jetboat when the group had been heading towards the Temple of Ancients.  
  
"Well, maybe this wasn't the way things were meant to be," Rufus said, unsure of himself.  
  
"Maybe it was," Tifa said optimistically. "Maybe things didn't turn out right the other way, so Fate has taken a hand to turn this all around. Everyone gets a second chance." She gazed up at Rufus when she said this, and he held her gaze for a few seconds before turning away.  
  
"Perhaps…" he said. "I guess we'll never know." Tifa nodded.  
  
"I guess we won't."  
  
---------------------------------------  
  
  
Author's Note:- Wasn't that a short chapter? *nods* Well, I wanted to get it finished, and the next part of the story will be a little too long for this chapter. Sorry about all the character reuniting, but remember- it has been about three days! Also, sorry to all those Cloud fans out there who are dying to see the spikey haired guy. And the Red XIII fans. And the Rude fans… anyway hope you liked! Next chapter deals with the Temple of Ancients, and *maybe* (no promises) you might hear some Cloud stuff. Stay tuned and thanks for reading!  



	6. Confrontations

*Warning*- The characters of Final Fantasy VII in no way belong to me (damn), and therefore I take no credit for the characters, which are all copyright to Square Soft Inc and everyone else who owns Final Fantasy VII! Can you tell I'm not good at writing these things? This story may contain spoilers and some violence, but besides that I don't think there should be too many problems! Please email me if you have any queries or comments… thanks! *^_~*  
  
  
Chapter Six: Confrontations  
  
"I'm singing… in the rain! Just singing… in the rain! What a-"  
  
"Yuffie, that's the first time you won. And it's not raining," Cait pointed out helpfully. Yuffie rolled her eyes, and stretched.  
  
"Surely we must be there already," she grumbled. "I'm this close to puking all over the room." She stood up wearily, holding her stomach, while Cait grimaced and shuffled back against the wall. It had almost been two hours now, and the jetboat still had to reach the Temple of Ancients. It hadn't taken them that long to get to Tifa, so why was it taking so long now? Yuffie groaned, as the boat jerked around. Cait jumped off the back of the Mog and mumbled something about getting someone to help Yuffie. Yuffie slid down the wall, pulling her knees to her chest and muttering curses.  
  
Two minutes later Cait returned with Aeris, who gave Yuffie a sympathetic smile and kneeled next to her.   
  
"Sea sickness, huh Yuffie?" Aeris asked, sitting down. Yuffie shrugged.  
  
"General motion sickness," she said. "That's why I always used to walk around when I wanted to get somewhere. Then you guys find me, and I let you win the battle, and now I'm here in the most rackety boat that exists!" Aeris shook her head and smiled at Yuffie's outburst. Yuffie just crossed her arms indignantly. The door again flew open, and Tifa stood there, out of breath.  
  
"We've got a problem," she said quickly. "Get your stuff, we gotta abandon ship." Yuffie gasped, but hurriedly grabbed everything in the cabin. Cait gathered together his deck of cards, and Aeris rushed out to get her things from the bridge. They all met at the back of the jetboat, holding their assorted possessions and frowning. Vincent was busy putting the boat on autopilot back in the bridge.  
  
"What's going on, Barret?" asked Cait worriedly. Barret unhooked the lifeboat, his forehead creased.  
  
"Some b***ard tampered with our fuel supply," he answered hotly. "And if I find out who…" He clenched his fist, but turned back to the group. "Did you notice that we was going a bit slower than normal? Our fuel has been leakin' since we left the port. If someone were to strike a match… That's why we gotta get off this ship before it blows. Low-down god-d*** scoundrels." He glowered and threw the lifeboat into the sea, holding onto the rope attached to it.   
  
"Ladies first," he said, allowing Aeris, Tifa and Yuffie to jump down into the dinghy. Next, Cait and Rufus hopped in. It was going to be a little cramped, but they would probably all fit. Vincent returned and carefully climbed in. The wooden boat creaked as Barret lowered himself in, but didn't give way to their relief. Barret flushed, then glared.  
  
"Whatcha all lookin' at?" he mumbled, pulling the rope off the boat and piling it in the small rowboat. The Hurricane inched away, leaving the group of seven floating in the little lifeboat. Yuffie had instantly assumed position at the head of the boat, dangling her legs over each side. Tifa and Aeris sat opposite each other, near the front. Rufus sat next to Aeris, while Cait flopped on the Mog in the middle of the lifeboat. Vincent sat next to Tifa and Barret sat at the back, muttering about the person who'd tampered with the boat.  
  
"Um…" Yuffie said nervously. "Shouldn't someone be rowing?"   
  
"#&$%!" Barret got to his feet, cursing. "The d*** oars are back on the-" Everyone gasped as they noticed the quick line of fire speeding towards the Hurricane. Yuffie screamed the loudest as the fire hit home and the Hurricane was blown into hundreds of fragments of metal. Rufus yelled for everyone to cover their heads, and the boat was rained with ashes and debris. Finally, the ash shower stopped and they were able to look up. The boat that had been only ten metres away from them was no more than a floating pile of rubble. Rufus scratched his head.  
  
"Glad we got off that thing in time," he remarked, brushing off dust from his coat. Tifa only nodded, too shocked to say anything. What if they hadn't? What if they had been on that boat…  
  
"Well, we got no oars, and we're about a kilometre away from the Temple," Yuffie said. "Anyone wanna think of an idea about now?" They all shrugged, not knowing what to do. The island could just be seen in the far distance. The waters rippled around them, hiding the sea creatures that lurked beneath. Finally, Aeris offered an idea.  
  
"How about using an Ice summon?" she suggested. "Yuffie, you have Shiva don't you? Summon her and get her to freeze the waters all the way to the island. It should be strong enough." Yuffie nodded, and the group watched as the powerful Ice summon was called up from the waters. Shiva appeared, and blew strong ice crystals around while the seven watched in awe. The waters quickly froze, and Barret ushered everyone out of the boat before the ice melted. Shiva disappeared with a burst of ice, and the group hurried out of the boat towards the island. Vincent glanced back at the boat, and Barret caught his gaze.  
  
"I'll get Cid to arrange another boat sent to pick us up," he assured, and Vincent nodded. Tifa and Aeris led the group speedily, with Cait Sith bounding next to them on top of his Mog. Yuffie, Rufus, Barret and Vincent followed not far behind. It was a hard journey, and they all slid over on the ice at least once. The sun beat down on them, urging them on as it melted the ice.   
  
"It's not- gonna last- much longer," Aeris panted, as they approached the last fifty metres to the island.   
  
"We gotta hurry then," Tifa replied, her hair streaming behind her. She swallowed a gulp as she felt the ice crack beneath her feet, and pushed herself onwards. The last ten metres came, and the ice was barely strong enough to hold them all. Tifa leapt to the sand, relieved to feel solid ground beneath her feet. Aeris and Cait landed softly nearby, but they all turned in shock as Yuffie let out a high-pitched shriek. She had slipped again, and the ice was threatening to cave in any second. Rufus reached out a hand and pulled Yuffie to her feet, jumping as they both took a tumble into the shallow waters. Barret swore as water seeped into his boots, and jumped onto the sand eagerly.   
  
"Think yourself lucky," commented Rufus as he splashed towards them. He was wet from the waist down, and his pants clung to him soggily. His hair was matted to his forehead, having being splashed by water. Yuffie was also soaked and, complaining, made her way to the shore. Vincent had already reached the shore, barely even wet. Tifa smiled at Rufus.  
  
"You look cute that way," she said with a grin, and Rufus tinged pink. Yuffie gagged, and adjusted her weapon.  
  
"Which way to the Temple?" Vincent inquired, peering into the forest. Aeris closed her eyes, and pointed to the left. Vincent shrugged, and the group wearily trudged towards the Temple. Maybe Cloud will be there, Aeris thought with a surge of hope. Maybe Sephiroth will be there, she added in her mind. But she wasn't extremely scared of the sword-wielding man, who just seemed a little misled. However, that didn't mean she was about to go and have a friendly chat with him. He was indeed dangerous.   
  
The whispers of the Ancients grew as they neared the Temple, but Aeris was the only one who could hear them. She could never understand what they were saying, but their frantic whispers were enough to assure her that danger lay ahead. They all stopped as they reached a bridge, gaping at the Temple on the other side. It resembled an Aztec design, with the entrance up at the top of the stone stairs. Rufus paused nervously.  
  
"I don't think we should all go in," he said uneasily.   
  
"Are you scared?" Tifa teased, but Rufus shook his head, not even smiling.  
  
"He's right," Vincent added darkly. "It's not safe. Only a few of us should go." He stepped forward. "I'll go." Yuffie backed away.   
  
"I'll stay here and, erm, keep guard," she said. The group split until it was Vincent, Tifa, Aeris and Rufus going, while Barret and Cait reluctantly agreed to stay behind and secure transport.  
  
"Don't you dare get yourselves hurt, you hear me?" Barret said firmly. "Don't want no broken bones… Good luck." The four that were entering nodded, and started to cross the bridge. Tifa shivered, as a chill swept through the air. Vincent led the way, followed by Aeris, then Rufus and Tifa at the end. Aeris seemed unsettled, rubbing her head.  
  
"You okay?" Tifa called, as they reached the other side. She nodded, frowning.  
  
"The Ancients… they speak frantically here," she said softly. The stairs were an easy climb, and they all flinched at the sight of a black cloaked figure at the top.   
  
"He's been here awhile," Rufus said grimly, kneeling next to him. "I'd say about… three days." Tifa grimaced, and gently urged everyone to keep going. She wanted to find Cloud, and something told her that he might be inside that very Temple. They entered silently, and Tifa squeaked out a cry at the sight of another man lying on the ground. He had a sword wound straight through his stomach, and looked familiar…  
  
"Tseng!" breathed Aeris, hurrying to his side. She felt his wrist, and her eyes fell. "He's…dead," she mumbled quietly. Rufus was breathing hard, his eyes cold.   
  
"Who- who did this?" he snapped angrily, surprising them.  
  
"Who do you think?" Tifa commented dryly. Rufus suddenly lost his angry streak, and knelt down next to the Turk leader with a miserable look in his blue eyes. Finally he sighed, and turned back to Tifa and Vincent.   
  
"We kill Sephiroth now," he said determinedly. "And we kill him slowly." Aeris numbly made her way to the altar, inserting the Keystone she'd acquired from Tseng's hands into the key slot. The whole Temple seemed eerily deserted, with not even a mouse crawling around.   
  
"This is it," Tifa said, hoping to lift the spirits. No one replied, as the path into the Temple was shown. They all stepped through, unaware that their every movement was closely watched.   
  
"We appear to be in a labyrinth of a sort," commented Vincent, looking around them. Aeris closed her eyes, as if straining to hear something.  
  
"The… the Ancients say we must go this way," she murmured, leading the way down a flight of stairs and towards a small cave opening. They didn't meet any creatures on the way, which even surprised Rufus. It was very strange indeed… They entered the cave warily, struggling to see in the darkness that shrouded them. A horrible sound, like gravel scraping on gravel, filled their ears and Rufus could be heard bitterly complaining about the sound effects. Vincent cast a small Lightning spell, and it lit the area long enough for them to see the gigantic boulders rolling around in front of them.  
  
"No way," Rufus said, stepping back. "No way in h***." Tifa rolled her eyes, grabbing his arm and leading the way.   
  
"It's not so bad," she said. "Just have to time it right…"   
  
"D*** you," muttered Rufus, allowing himself to be led towards what he believed a certain death. Tifa told Aeris and Vincent to follow her movements, and then instructed Rufus to do whatever she did. "I may be upset, but I'm not suicidal! You think you're going to roll under those rocks?"  
  
"No, you moron. There's a large gap in each of them, and we just have to time it so we get under the gap. It's quite simple," Tifa assured, sounding more confident than she really was. Even Aeris looked a little sceptical at Tifa's explanation. Vincent said nothing, but looked prepared to follow her instruction. Rufus just shook his head.   
  
"What if we get crushed?" he said. Tifa shrugged.  
  
"We won't." She tensed, getting ready to spring into action. Rufus frowned, realising that she was serious about the rock rolling. The stone rolled towards them, creating a trail of dust behind it. Tifa closed her eyes tightly, trying not to think of what would happen if she timed it wrong. She swallowed as it neared closer, and told herself that Cloud and Red were waiting on the other side for them. She had to do it. She readied herself, as the boulder approached her. Ten metres away; five metres away; one metre away.   
  
"No!" Rufus yelled, running to crouch next to her. She looked at him momentarily in surprise, and the boulder's gap closed over on them. "This is nuts," he muttered under his breath.  
  
"Here we go!" Tifa cried, and they both sprinted towards the next boulder. The gap again closed on them, and they were almost home free. One more stone to go… They waited until the gap came into view, and hurried forward to crouch under it. Tifa could see a shimmering pool to her left, ahead a bit. After this boulder, they could stay there for a while. The rock spun away, and they were able to rush towards the small pool area. Tifa couldn't help smiling to herself triumphantly, not noticing the other boulder rolling quickly towards them. She heard Rufus yell something, and turned to see the boulder about to hit her. Rufus came dashing towards her, and knocked her out of the way. She almost slid into the pool, but managed to scrape her knuckles against the gravel to stop herself. She collapsed on her back, breathing hard at the near accident. A groan made her jolt straight up.  
  
"Rufus!" she yelped, seeing him holding his right leg in pain. He managed a weak grin.  
  
"Told you it was nuts," he mumbled, as Tifa reached his side.  
  
"You idiot," she admonished. "You shouldn't have done that…"  
  
"And let someone as pretty as you get smushed into the ground? I don't think so," he said, making Tifa flush red. She blinked, wondering why she was affected by his compliment. Back at her old bar, practically every man there had complimented her for her looks and cooking skills. And she'd never done anything more than smile and thank them. The only people able to make Tifa blush were her father and… Cloud. She absently brushed her hair back, and turned her attention back to Rufus. His leg was unusually weak and he couldn't bend it.   
  
"Bloody rolling rocks," he muttered, wincing as Tifa gently took his boot off. The ankle was swollen, and two of his toes were broken, perhaps the ankle also. Tifa rummaged in her bag for a bandage and carefully wrapped Rufus' ankle and foot with it. He grimaced, and swore as a sharp pain shot through his ankle.  
  
"Sorry," Tifa apologised, with a faint grin. "Just seeing how far you could move it."   
  
"Bloody h***, Tifa, could you not?" he said agitatedly.   
  
"Are you okay?" Aeris' worried voice reached their ears. "We can't get through. The boulders are going way too fast now! Tifa?" Tifa got to her feet, noticing that the boulders were indeed rolling past much faster than they had before.  
  
"Yeah, Aeris, we're all right," Tifa yelled. Her voice echoed around the cavern, and she shivered unintentionally, unable to shake the eerie feeling that they were being watched. "Rufus hurt his leg, could you tell Re- Cait – to organise some crutches sent along with the boat. Thanks!" She heard Aeris' light footsteps disappear, and then the unmistakable soft clanking of Vincent's metal boots. She glanced back at Rufus, who'd assumed a sitting position while trying to put little weight on his ankle.  
  
"How's it going?" Tifa asked. Rufus gave her a look, and sighed.  
  
"It hurts," he said shortly. The pool to their left rippled slightly, but neither noticed. Tifa gave Rufus a tight smile, hoping the ankle wasn't too badly hurt. She paced the area slightly, glancing up every few seconds to see if the rocks had slowed down. It would be impossible to cross back whilst they were rolling so quickly, especially with Rufus' leg hurt.   
  
Ti…fa…  
  
Tifa spun around, and saw Rufus observing his ankle. He didn't notice her staring, and didn't seem to be saying anything.   
  
Ti…fa…?  
  
Tifa narrowed her eyes, looking around her warily. Besides the scratch of boulder on gravel in the background, she couldn't hear anything. She clenched her fist, preparing for battle. How stupid she had been! Sephiroth, if he was here, would surely know that the group had arrived. And with Rufus injured… he was probably about to appear, to kill the easy prey. Tifa swallowed, hoping the stones would slow down so she and Rufus could escape out of there. It wasn't safe. And yet, the voice she heard was not Sephiroth's. It seemed familiar, however broken up it was.   
  
TIFA!  
  
Tifa gasped, as a dark shape flew down from above and landed in the shimmering pool.  
  
"Holy s***!" Rufus exclaimed, trying to stand. His baton clattered from his belt, and he grabbed at it desperately. Tifa backed away, unable to will herself to look into the shining waters. Something had just fallen out of the sky into it… hadn't it? The waters were calm now, and not even a ripple crossed its surface. Then, as if someone had the ability to control light, the cavern went pitch black.  
  
------------------------------------------  
  
"Yep, Aeris, the boat's on its way. Should be here in about ten minutes. Where are Tifa and Rufus?"   
  
"They're back inside," Aeris said, gesturing over her shoulder. Cait nodded, then the colour drained from his furry face. Aeris frowned. "What is it, Cait?" She looked behind her to see the entire Temple shrouded with a dense black mist. Evil seemed to seep out of the curling tendrils of smoke, and Aeris instinctively took a step backwards, tempted to run away. Cait turned to her in confusion.  
  
"What about the other two?"   
  
-----------------------------------------  
  
Tifa stumbled through the dark, trying to find her way back to Rufus and praying that she wouldn't step over the side. Her eyes were slowly adjusting, but the vision inside the Temple wasn't good even once her eyes adjusted. It was as if someone had covered the Temple with a blanket. Rufus moaned, and she was able to locate where the sound came from. She stepped lightly over a rock, and froze when a bright pale blue light emitted in front of her. The pool.  
  
"Man, what now…" Rufus mumbled. She could see his pale face illuminated in the light, and saw that she was standing opposite where he was sitting, and the pool was in between. She'd have to jump or run around it. Too late, she realised, as a shape burst out of the water. The shape glowed a brilliant blue, and she had to squint to see it. It had to be Sephiroth. Her heart caught in her throat, and she became conscious of how undefended she was. She had a few Materia and her fighting glove. That was it.   
  
The light dimmed, and the shape became more distinct, less blurry. Tifa blinked, as a patch of familiar blonde hair came into view.   
  
"Cloud…?" she whispered, unable to believe it. The figure certainly looked like her friend, although he wore a white gown like you would wear in a hospital. His eyes were closed, and he almost looked asleep. Rufus glanced at Tifa worriedly, mentally warning her to be careful. But Tifa couldn't contain herself. "Cloud!" She dashed towards the hunched guy and was about to throw her arms around him, hoping it was Cloud. He opened his eyes, and looked straight at her. She stopped dead as she saw the dead, tortured look in his dull blue eyes. He looked so… vulnerable. As quickly as she blinked, the figure suddenly flickered out of sight and she realised she had been looking at nothing more than an image; an illusion.   
  
Her stomach turned as a low, mad laugh echoed around the cavern.  
  
"S***, s***, s***," muttered Rufus, repeating the same word over and over. The laugh abruptly stopped, and there was silence. Tifa looked around nervously, feeling apprehensive. That had been Sephiroth's laugh, which meant he was nearby. Perhaps closer than she thought… Rufus choked out a cry as Tifa felt her hair yanked back; the blade of a sword pressed lightly against her neck. She resisted the urge to cry out, and remained as still as she could.  
  
"Not so tricky, are we, Ms Lockhart?" said a voice that chilled her to the bone. No, Tifa! she screamed in her head. You shouldn't be scared of him, you wimp. You should be angry, so you can kill him! She was standing less than a metre from the man who had destroyed her hometown and brutally killed her father, yet she was too scared to even move an inch.  
  
"Wh-what, d-do you, wa-want?" she squeaked, wishing she was more brave. The man behind her paused, as if thinking.   
  
"Well, I did quite want to kill every single one of you in a horribly gruesome way," he said, and she felt him shrug behind her. "Oh well. I guess I'll have to settle for you and Mr Shinra." Tifa suddenly had a mental flashback of five years ago; the last time she had confronted Sephiroth so closely. She had been so stupid then, thinking she could wield the sword of a madman. It had almost gotten her killed, had it not been for Za- Cloud… Sephiroth seemed to sense her thoughts, and held the sword in place. She felt a thin trickle of blood run down her throat, and saw Rufus glare at Sephiroth angrily.   
  
"You can kill me," he hissed at Sephiroth. "We got a score to settle anyway. But leave Tifa out of this." Sephiroth cast an amused eye on Rufus, then back to Tifa.  
  
"Seems like Mr Shinra has discovered some feelings for Tifa, hmm?" he said with a lopsided smile that made him look all the more evil. Tifa wondered briefly if she could knock the sword away long enough to escape, but felt the thin blade press slightly deeper. "Don't even think it," Sephiroth breathed in her ear. She breathed hard, struggling not to cry. Everything was so messed up, she thought miserably. And now I'm going to die, without anything I can do to stop it.  
  
"There, there, Tifa," comforted Sephiroth mockingly. "I'd be more worried about your little friends if I were you." Tifa's eyes snapped open, and she tensed guardedly.  
  
"What happened to them?" she whispered in dread. Sephiroth chuckled, then withdrew the sword blade from against her throat. Tifa's hands flew to her throat, and she gasped. Rufus had managed to get to his feet, but his injured ankle was still extremely fragile. Sephiroth laughed like a maniac, sheathing his massive sword.  
  
"I must go finish something now," he said regretfully. "Before you leave, you may want to explore the Labyrinth." He sneered at them while chuckling, his laugh echoing creepily off the walls and imprinting itself into Tifa's mind. With a bright flash, he was gone. Tifa staggered over to Rufus blindly, falling into his arms and sobbing uncontrollably.   
  
----------------------------------  
  
  
Authors Note:- Not a very happy chap, ay? Well, you Cloud-lovers got a bit of Cloud! *beams* No Red XIII yet or Rude… I wonder why? _ Anyway this chapter mainly dealt with the group heading to the Temple of Ancients, and some of what happened there. Next chap will conclude the Temple of Ancients events, and perhaps shed some light on this strange situation. Thanks for reading, you guys ^^!! If you can, could ya review for me? See you next chapter!  
  



	7. Revelation

*Warning*- The characters of Final Fantasy VII in no way belong to me (damn), and therefore I take no credit for the characters, which are all copyright to Square Soft Inc and everyone else who owns Final Fantasy VII! Can you tell I'm not good at writing these things? This story may contain spoilers and some violence, but besides that I don't think there should be too many problems! Please email me if you have any queries or comments… thanks! *^_~*  
  
  
Chapter Seven: Revelation  
  
It seemed an eternity that Tifa lay in Rufus' arms, sobbing quietly. Rufus felt a little awkward having her so close to him, but otherwise was concerned about how she was. He briefly wondered how he would react having that Masamune blade poised on his throat, able to slice him through at any one time. It was a miracle that Sephiroth had decided to leave, but a feeling of anxiety in his stomach suggested that it wouldn't be long before they saw the feared warrior again. Rufus didn't even have the grinding of the rocks in the background to listen to, as they had disappeared somehow.  
  
Sephiroth had mentioned their 'little friends' and Rufus was certain that he referred to Cloud, Red XIII and possibly even Rude. He swallowed a gulp, fearing that he may lose another of his trusted Turks and friends. He couldn't bear the thought of just sitting here doing nothing, so he gently nudged Tifa. She sniffled, and slowly stirred to sit up out of his arms. Her gaze flickered from him to his arms and she tinged a slight pink.   
  
"I'm sorry," she mumbled huskily, wiping her eyes and edging away from him clumsily, an embarrassed look on her face. Her hand was around her neck protectively, and she seemed in deep shock. Rufus impulsively pulled her back towards him, and held her in front of him firmly but gently. Her blank gaze stared past him, as if she couldn't see him. Her face was streaked with dampness, but now her eyes were glistening with tears that she refused to let fall.  
  
"Tifa, listen to me," Rufus said steadily. She didn't show any sign of listening bar her eyes flashing briefly to him. "Tifa… you've got to get out of this shock…" She shook her head sadly.  
  
"I can't…" she whispered, barely audible. Rufus raised her eyebrows.  
  
"Why not?"   
  
"My fault… all of it," she said quietly, her eyes falling to the ground. Rufus shook his head in disbelief.  
  
"What do you mean?" he asked incredulously. "None of it is your fault at all!" She gave him a miserable smile.  
  
"Yes it is, Rufus," she said. "First my dad… and now Cloud and Red… everything." Rufus felt his face fall, when he realised what she meant. He gazed at her, wondering how she could possibly blame herself or believe that she had anything to do with what had happened. At least she was talking now, though. Rufus sighed, not knowing what to say. He had been brought up to be harsh and cold, but around Tifa he felt anything but. D*** that, he thought angrily.  
  
"Tifa, trust me, it's not your fault," he began, feeling uncomfortable. "What happened to your father… none of that was your fault. In fact, I was told that you found your father lifeless in the Nibelheim reactor…"  
  
"I should have been there," she whispered bitterly. "But no, I was too busy moping over Cloud. And my father's life was the price I paid for that." Rufus hesitated, as her lower lip trembled. She looked as if she were about to cry… She bit her lip, and slowly regained control over herself. "And now this. Rufus, do you know what the last thing I said to Cloud was? Before you came on the jetboat?" Rufus shook his head slowly. She laughed, but it was a cold laugh that chilled the air around them.  
  
"I snapped that he shouldn't be so worried about his past, and that his future was going to slip away before he knew it. I was so angry and hurt that the whole time all he thought about was his past- and Sephiroth. I had so long looked forward to him coming back, and saving me like he did five years ago. So I basically told him that he should get over it or his future would be gone. Funny I said that, when you think about it now. He's probably dead already…" She paused, to look at Rufus with… shame? "I told myself on the Tiny Bronco that if I ever saw Sephiroth again, I'd kill him. And look at me! He shows his face, and I'm a wreck. I should have died back at the reactor, with my father. Then at least I could have some pride that I died fighting Sephiroth."   
  
"Tifa…" She ignored him and got to her knees, wrapping her arm around his middle.   
  
"Come on, we got to get out of here," she said flatly, and he gratefully accepted her arm, wrapping his own around her neck. She seemed a little uneasy, but hid it well by glancing away from Rufus and towards the entrance to the Temple. He tried to pull away, unsuccessfully.  
  
"No, I gotta get- to Rude…" She paused, remembering what Sephiroth had said. Rufus did deserve to know whether Rude was alive or dead, even if the latter seemed inevitable for all three- Cloud, Red and Rude.  
  
"Okay," she said finally. "But first we're going outside. The boat will be here with the crutches and afterwards, Aeris can heal you as best she can." He grudgingly agreed, and together they made their way outside.  
  
------------------------------------------  
  
"Why, god d*** it Aeris!" Aeris shrank back at Barret's outburst. He shook his gun-arm dangerously, causing Vincent to back away from behind him cautiously. Barret's anger then faded suddenly, and he closely resembled a lost puppy. "Tifa…" His gaze hardened again, as he clenched his good fist at the Temple. "She had better be okay, or Sephiroth is gonna feel some cold lead in his messed up skull." Aeris just nodded silently. The boat that would take them back to Mideel had arrived a few minutes ago, driven by Reno and Elena who had sobered up somewhat. Now, the two Turks waited impatiently for any sign of their fellow Turks or Rufus.  
  
"D*** this, Elena," Reno muttered. Elena cast a wary eye in his direction.   
  
"They'll be fine, don't worry," she said calmly. Yuffie snorted, and returned to her card game with Cait Sith. Barret and Vincent watched the Temple anxiously, while Aeris had closed her eyes in a strange sort of prayer-like way. The smoke had disappeared mostly, but some traces still hung in the air. It smelt thickly of burnt rubber, or something equally distasteful. Barret paced, grinding his teeth together.  
  
"That's it, five more minutes and I'm going in," he growled, glancing at the Temple.   
  
"Rufus and Tifa are okay," piped Aeris suddenly. "They're coming right now." Barret's eyes lit up, and he grabbed at the crutches leaning against the tree. He tossed them to Reno who caught them swiftly with an annoyed glare at Barret. Barret ignored him, and hurried up the stairs to the Temple. Sure enough, Tifa and Rufus were hobbling out of the thick black mist that still hovered inside the Temple. He grimaced when he spotted a thin line of dry blood across Tifa's throat, and wondered what on earth had happened in there. Tifa looked up and caught Barret's gaze with a tired smile.   
  
"Barret," she said weakly. He just nodded, as she helped Rufus over to Reno who handed him the crutches. Tifa gave Aeris a look, and Aeris went to Rufus' side to heal his leg. He grimaced, but the pain lessened dramatically.   
  
"S***, Shinra, what have you done to yourself?" Reno said in bewilderment. Rufus just fixed him with a withering stare, and started limping back to the Temple on the crutches.   
  
"Rufus, where are you going?" Elena called curiously.   
  
"Don't worry," Rufus muttered. Tifa followed him, and they went back inside. Reno cursed, and both he and Elena hurried after the two. Barret started to go after them, but Aeris' hand on his arm stopped him. She shook her head, and Barret sighed in defeat.   
  
---------------------------------------------  
  
Tifa didn't really notice where she was going, as she walked beside Rufus silently. The two remaining Turks were following them at a small distance behind, cautiously holding their weapons in battle stance. Rufus didn't complain of the pain he felt in his leg as he normally would have done; instead just concentrated on getting to the Labyrinth. They reached the end of the path and faced the door leading to the Labyrinth. Tifa glanced at Rufus, and he nodded.   
  
With a slight effort, she pushed the door open. Harsh light flooded in and all four instinctly drew back. The door revealed something of another world. It was almost scary in contrast to the previous cavern they had been in, and there were mystical creatures prowling the area. Reno shot a few out of their way with his nightstick, while Elena huddled next to him.  
  
"You idiot," Reno snapped at her. "You're a Turk! Get yourself ready in case of battle." Her eyes widened but she nodded, pushing her short blonde hair behind her ear. Rufus didn't say anything, as Tifa looked around nervously.  
  
"Which way should we go?" she asked, peering over the edge. Rufus gestured to the vines hanging down the wall, and then pointed to another door on the other side of the area. There were numerous stairs leading to it, and a few centaur creatures gathered around it. Tifa gave him a questioning look, but he just struggled to get down the vines without hurting himself too much. Aeris had definitely helped his leg, but there were some things that needed time to heal them. Reno and Elena just jumped from the top of the ledge, landing softly on the stone ground. Tifa swung herself down a vine, and the three of them waited as Rufus made his way down.   
  
"Reno, Elena, can you go clean out those Doorbulls and any other creatures lurking around the area?" Rufus said, as he reached the ground and pulled his crutches so they sat under his arms. Tifa went to follow them, but Rufus coughed and she turned back.  
  
"Are you okay?" she asked, concerned. He gazed back at her, not saying anything. She shifted uncomfortably, and his gaze dropped to the floor.  
  
"Yep, just great," he replied, hopping over to her. Her forehead creased, and she shrugged.  
  
"Whatever you say," she said. Rufus gave her a thin smile, and frowned when Elena's cry rang through the area.  
  
"Um, sir, you might want to get up here," Reno called, his voice wavering. He sounded really upset, Tifa realised. Oh no…   
  
Rufus quickly made his way up the stairs, and let out a dry gasp of anger when he saw the body lying in Elena's arms. Reno ran his hand through his hair, trembling.   
  
"Rude…" Elena whispered, her hand drifting down his cheek. The Turk coughed, his whole body shaking. Elena pulled his sunglasses off, as his eyes flickered open.  
  
"El…ena?" he mumbled. There was a thin wound in his side that was slowly dripping blood onto the ground. Tifa came to a standstill at Rufus' side, shocked. How easily it could have been one of Avalanche laying on the ground dying at Sephiroth's hands… Reno broke the silence by slamming his fist into the nearest pillar angrily. Chunks of cement fell to the ground, and signs of blood appeared on his white knuckles. Rude mumbled something, and Elena strained to hear him.  
  
"Seph… ir… oth…"   
  
"Oh my gosh... doesn't anyone have a Restore Materia?" Elena cried desperately. Rude gripped her hand tightly, shaking his head.  
  
"It's too… late," he said softly. His eyes rested on Tifa, and he chuckled dryly, his chuckle followed by a series of coughs. His expression toughened again. "Your friends… he has them, and… went to… City of- Ancients…" Tears welled up in Elena's coffee eyes as Rude's eyes slowly closed.   
  
"Don't you do this, d*** you," she said furiously. "Did you hear me, Rude? Wake up! Don't leave us like this…" She buried his head on his chest as his breathing slowed, sobbing. Reno sank against the pillar he'd attacked, a blank expression on his pale face. Rude heaved a deep breath.  
  
"Elena… you have to… help them, both of you…" He coughed again, his breathing becoming more laboured as his system slowly gave way to a grey fogginess, his own voice sounding sluggish and far away. "For… me… for yourself… promise me…" Elena sniffled, but mumbled a quiet promise. Rude closed his eyes again, for the last time, with a slight hint of a smile on his tanned face. Elena let him lay down on the ground, drawing her knees to her chest and weeping for her lost friend. Tifa blinked, unable to speak. A whispered word escaped her lips, as she stared at the still body of Rude.  
  
"Sorry..."  
  
A sudden shaking interrupted their silence, and Reno cursed as slabs of concrete smashed into the ground around them.   
  
"Come on, d*** you!" Reno yelled. "We have to get the f*** out of here!" Elena got to her feet, pulling a thin silver bracelet off her wrist and clasping it in Rude's hand.   
  
"To the death…" she murmured quietly, then her expression changed. "Alright, let's get out of here." The four of them rushed back to the door which led to the tunnel out of the Temple, and Tifa gasped when they discovered it to be locked. Reno tried his best to knock it down, but it didn't budge.  
  
"What do we do now?" Elena screeched over the sound of toppling cement. Reno shrugged uncaringly.  
  
"We die," he replied evenly. Elena shook her head stubbornly.  
  
"We get the f*** out of here," she declared in Reno's tone, leading the way down another flight of stairs. They discovered another door, and hurried in to find something that resembled a clock face in front of them.   
  
"Now what?" Tifa asked, her voice echoing over the noise of the collapsing Temple around them. Elena wrinkled her nose, straining to make out some faint words etched on the wall.   
  
"We have to… say the time we wish to arrive at?" she said in confusion. Reno glanced in the cavern, at the numerous arches numbered I- XII.   
  
"It's easy, you moron," he said loudly, gesturing at the arched doorways. We pick a number from one to twelve." He turned to Tifa. "What's your favourite number, love?" She glared at him.  
  
"Twelve," she retorted. He shrugged again.  
  
"Twelve it is," he said, calling out the number. The hands of the clock swung around so that they provided a bridge to the doorway marked XII above it. The four slowly made their way across it, dodging falling debris.   
  
"Don't look down," Reno warned. Tifa couldn't help glancing down, and swallowed when she saw the apparently bottomless pit. She stumbled, and Reno grabbed her arm in the blink of an eye. He gave her a irritated look. "I said don't look down." She shrugged his hand away, and followed Elena through the doorway. Rufus hobbled at the rear. They reached the room, and saw a door seperating them from the outside world.   
  
"Well, let's go," Elena remarked, tugging on the door handle. It didn't move an inch. "Not another one," she groaned. Reno suddenly paled, as a low rumbling shook the area. Elena turned around and screamed as the wall began to shake heavily, and a pair of glowing red eyes opened.  
  
"S***********t!" Reno yelled as the wall prepared to battle them. Tifa, Elena and Reno faced it, well aware of the fact that it was several times larger than themselves. Tifa made the first attack, delivering a harsh blow to the centre of the Demon Gate. It barely made any damage, and she quickly realised it was going to be a difficult battle. Reno used a electric attack on it and it let out a roar of anger as the electricity crackled around it.  
  
"Now, Elena!" Reno snapped. Elena closed her eyes, summoning Neo Bahamut. The dragon appeared with a burst of flames, and threw the ground containing the Demon Gate up into the air, facing it in triumphant fury. A bright light appeared from its mouth, shooting a laser ray at the Demon Gate which fell to the ground. It was weakened, but still strong enough to launch an attack at the trio who dared to face it. Rufus leaned against the wall, wishing he could be part of the battle instead of leaning there watching. He winced as the wall threw itself at Tifa, Elena and Reno, knocking them all to the ground. Reno was the first to sit up, rubbing his head.   
  
"That's it, you stupid son of a b****!" he shouted. "Electro-mag Rod!" A sharp concentrated bolt of electricity shot towards the Demon Gate, stunning it and paralysing it. Reno yelled at Tifa to use an attack, and she unleashed the force of her strongest Limit Break at the wall. It did a hefty amount of damage, and the Demon Gate was almost destroyed.  
  
Elena finished up with a strong Ice attack, and the Demon Gate was shattered into hundreds of pieces. She cast a grin at Reno and Tifa, getting to her feet and using a hi-potion to heal herself. Tifa followed suit, and Rufus limped over to them. They were shocked back to reality as a falling pillar barely missed them, and Reno yelled for everyone to hurry the h*** up and get out of there. They rushed out of the Temple as it shuddered violently, threatening to collapse any minute now.   
  
They rushed to where the rest of Avalanche stood, and Barret's frown deepened.  
  
"Where's Cloud and Red?" he called anxiously.  
  
"Never mind that now," Elena shrieked. "Just get everyone out of here!" Barret, Yuffie, Vincent, Cait Sith and Aeris quickly realised what she meant, and all of them hurried through the bushes and shrubs, Tifa lingering behind waiting for Rufus. He wobbled a bit and she caught him, helping him hobble out of the area. She paused to glance back at the Temple of Ancients sadly.  
  
  
Don't worry, Cloud, Red. We'll find you.  
  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
Authors Note:- *sigh* Finally finished the chapter. Had a bit of a mind blank before, also I was preoccupied with other thoughts. So, we found out the first character to die. It wasn't Aeris after all… hehehe. A lot is going to change in this version of Final Fantasy VII, thanks to my twisted mind. Poor Rude _ Sephiroth is so darn mean, don't you agree? Anyway, next chapter will be about the aftermath of the Temple falling- can Avalanche and the Turks work together? Who knows… Lemme know what you thought of this chapter by reviewing! Thanks!  
  
Authors Warning:- For your own good, brush your teeth and don't eat heaps of junk food! Heh, seems a bit out of place, but I'm speaking from experience here! Yesterday I was in hospital getting a tooth pulled out and some fillings done, so take my advice and brush your teeth heaps so you don't get cavities like evil ol' me. It hurts!! Trust me. Okay, the author is done rambling about teeth now ^_^.  



	8. Fate

1 *Warning*- The characters of Final Fantasy VII in no way belong to me (damn), and therefore I take no credit for the characters, which are all copyright to Square Soft Inc and everyone else who owns Final Fantasy VII! Can you tell I'm not good at writing these things? This story may contain spoilers and some violence, but besides that I don't think there should be too many problems! Please email me if you have any queries or comments. thanks! *^_~*  
  
  
  
Chapter Eight: Fate  
  
Reno leant against the railing of the bridge, his eyes dark as he stared up at the sky defiantly; as if challenging the stars. He'd long since sobered up, and the true shock of the death of his leader and closest friend had finally hit him.  
  
It was so unfair that Tseng and Rude should be the ones to suffer so, when it was that damn Avalanche's problem in the first place. Chasing Sephiroth across the damned country, and now the Turks had to cop the consequences. Those stupid idiots thought they could kill Sephiroth. Reno laughed dryly, knowing that the ex-general would slowly kill each and every one of them. One appearance, and he'd overpowered all of them in one go. They sure were tough.  
  
It had been strangely funny to watch the Temple of Ancients collapse upon itself into the ground, until it was nothing more than a ball of black ore. Reno himself hadn't been like the others, staring in shock. In fact, he'd almost expected it. It was the burial that Rude deserved; his best and most trusted comrade in the world who shouldn't have had to have a burial at all.  
  
"Should have been me in that f**ked up piece of crap," Reno muttered, staring down at the ground angrily. Rude. how could Elena make a promise like that? Helping Avalanche was like offering Sephiroth a trip to the carnival- it was plain moronic. Say Elena and himself did join that bunch of - well, better left unsaid- then they'd surely die along with them. Stupid, it was. Absolutely stupid.  
  
He remembered how that Ancient girl had wanted to go get the black orb, her being the only one who knew what it was. And then Sephiroth appeared, took it and disappeared again. Before any of them could even blink. Some fighters. Reno knew better than the confront Sephiroth, unlike that dim-witted, erm, Aeris, wasn't it?  
  
He was drawn out of his reverie when he heard soft footsteps approaching. He silently withdrew his nightstaff from inside his shirt, smiling as it slowly glowed to a pale blue with a quiet hum. He still knew how to fight, even in his current state. It was like riding a bicycle. You could never forget it. He waited for the footsteps to approach and realised they were passing under the bridge in Mideel, glancing down to see who it was and preparing to fight.  
  
With a shock, he clicked the nightstick off and watched one of the Avalanche girls hurry quickly from the inn where they had been staying at, looking over her shoulder to check if anyone was following her. Too bad she didn't look up. A soft thump, and Reno landed behind her. It was definitely suspicious, sneaking out at about eleven at night, looking over one's shoulder every two seconds.  
  
He was trained enough to avoid being spotted by her, as she hurried out of Mideel. Perhaps she was just going to the port. he seriously doubted it, though. He followed her, not understanding why he was wasting his time on an Avalanche idiot. Even if she was pretty damn alright looking.  
  
She headed onto the dock, and was about to lower herself into one of the smaller jetboats when Reno decided to make his presence known.  
  
"Yo, babe!" he called, and her head shot up to see who had called her. Her gaze settled on Reno steadily, unnerving him. She had a pensive kind-of stare that made you think she knew what you were thinking. Guiltily, Reno pushed all thoughts out of his head, embarrassed if she knew what he thought of most of the time.  
  
"Reno," she said with a nod.  
  
"Goin' for a quick spin, eh?" he jeered. She didn't answer, but her ears went pink. She knew she'd been caught out, and Reno smirked, satisfied. "What would Avalanche think if their lovely little Ancient stole their boat?" he said scoldingly.  
  
"I have. other things to think about," she replied curtly, her gaze dropping. She must not have thought he would catch the sad look that cross her face, but she thought wrong. Reno's narrowed eyes saw it, and he frowned.  
  
"Where the heck you thinkin' of goin'?" he asked dubiously.  
  
"The City of Ancients," she said softly, her eyes clouded over. She turned back to the boat, but Reno grabbed her arm and pulled her back.  
  
"That's the city. where Sephiroth is goin'." he realised. "You're crazy! More than crazy- stupid! That- bastard - killed two of my friends who were trained in the art of killing and you think you can stop him? An Ancient? You're nuts." Aeris smiled sadly, but shook her head.  
  
"He can be stopped," she said in her quiet voice. "I know my place, and what I have to do. Goodbye, Reno." She unhooked the rope before Reno could react, and started the engine. The boat began to pull away, churning up the calm waters loudly. Reno cursed, and foolishly jumped onto the deck of the boat before it got too far, already knowing he had made the wrong choice.  
  
*  
  
"What d'ya mean, SHE'S GONE?!" The entire town of Mideel was shaken the next morning by the sounds of Barret's voice as he stared in disbelief at Yuffie. Yuffie shrugged nonchalently.  
  
"The drunk Turk's gone, too," she said offhandly. "Maybe they-"  
  
"Don' even say it," Barret said abruptly. "All that matters is that we find their idiotic asses before somethin' happens. I really don' think Aeris would go off with that punk Turk anyway."  
  
"She wouldn't," Tifa assured, entering the room. "But I think she may have headed to the City of Ancients. Which is where we should go." Barret sighed angrily but nodded.  
  
"I'm f**king coming too," snapped a familiar voice. They all looked up to see Cid standing sprightly in the doorway, his beard even more stubbly than usual. "Gotta get the f**k away from those damn nurses, prodding and poking me all the f**king time. So count me in." Tifa smiled at him.  
  
"Nice to have you back, Cid," she said.  
  
"Aww, f**k," he replied, shunning her. "I might get emotional." He stalked out of the room, fumbling to light a cigarette. Tifa turned back to Yuffie, whose expression suggested that she already sensed what the older woman was about to say.  
  
"The answer's no, Tifa. I'm not staying behind. Not now, not ever, and nothing you say- is that a Summon Materia?" Tifa cocked her head, holding the Ramuh Materia in her hand.  
  
"You were saying?"  
  
"Uh, what do you want me to do? Cause, I'm good at babysitting, and, er, you know, house stuff," Yuffie babbled with eyes like dinner plates, eyeing the crimson sphere.  
  
"I want you to stay here in Mideel, with Rufus," Tifa said, to everyone's surprise. Barret's eyes were alight with suspicion, and Yuffie's brow furrowed.  
  
"He's not gonna stay here," Barret growled. "You know that spoilt brat." Tifa turned to look at him, and he was taken aback by the emotion in her dark eyes.  
  
"I know he won't stay here willingly," she said quietly. "But he's asleep right now. I'm not letting him come. not after everything that's happened. And. and Cloud." Her voice trailed to a whisper, and she hurried from the room, leaving Yuffie and Barret very disturbed by her sudden behaviour in regards to Rufus. Yuffie turned to Barret.  
  
"Well, Tifa's got issues," she commented. "Anyway, I don't really mind staying here. There's this hunk over in the Weapons shop, saw him this morning."  
  
*  
  
In less than half an hour, they'd located a spare boat and were bopping across the ocean, the wind whipping through their hair. Them, of course, referring to the people that had actually gone on the trip: Tifa, Barret, Cid, Elena and Vincent. Cait Sith volunteered to stay behind with Yuffie and keep her company, to her delight. She always had been the only one who could stand his constant predictions. Barret once again piloted, helped by Cid whose knowledge of spacecrafts extended to boats, planes and even trucks. Elena didn't take to sea travel all that well this time, spending most of the time in the boat's bathroom. Vincent, being Vincent, had disappeared, even though the ship was barely fifty foot and quite small.  
  
Tifa sat at the back of the boat, her legs dangling over the edge, as she watched the engine chop up the water. She might have been sitting there, but her thoughts were in a completely different world altogether. She didn't even notice another gaze settle on her, too busy trying to conjure up Cloud's face. A few days, she thought, ashamed. And I've already forgotten his face. Her hair flew around her, hiding her face from view. She stared down at the water, seeing her shape somewhat reflected (was her hair really that long?) and frowning in confusion when she saw another, taller shape standing behind her. She gasped when she spotted Vincent standing still as a statue a few metres away.  
  
"Vincent!" she breathed. "Why must you always do that?" He shrugged indifferently, then sat down next to her. His face was, as always, unreadable, but in his eyes flickered a tiny flame, one Tifa had never noticed or seen before.  
  
"I heard your, erm, conversation this morning," he said awkwardly, as if this was a conversation he didn't feel all that comfortable with. Tifa nodded at him to go on. "Regarding young Shinra. I know that it is not my. place. to ask things, but I feel this matter is slightly important." He paused, staring down at the white wash below them. "Do you love him?" Tifa stiffened, about to shake her head and declare no, as loud as she could.  
  
But you aren't that sure, are you, teased a little voice in her head. She blinked, and avoided Vincent's gaze, with no answer prepared for him. She didn't love love Rufus, she told herself. She loved him in the way she'd loved Cloud all those years, the way she loved Aeris as a friend, the way she loved all of Avalanche. She sighed, unaware of the conflicting emotions jumping in Vincent's ruby eyes.  
  
*  
  
Reno barely said a word until they arrived at a empty shore, with small waves lapping at the edge hungrily. He jumped from the boat, and looked around him.  
  
"This doesn't look very Ancient-ish," he commented, looking pointedly at the bright golden sand and soft seagrass growing near the shore. The only sign that Aeris had heard what he said was a slight nod, her green eyes transfixed on some faraway object that only she could see.  
  
"Please," she said softly. "Go home now." Something in Reno snapped. It wasn't what she had said, or how she had said it, as he knew she meant that she didn't want him to get hurt. But the calmness with which she said it, and the trusting look on her face- hell, she could die right now and it didn't appear that she would care! He exploded, barely knowing what he was saying.  
  
"Go home?" he snarled. "Go HOME?! You ignorant little Ancient, do you think I have a home? My home was with my friends, my allies, the Turks, and now there are barely any of us left. What kind of home do you call that? S'pose none of friendship and shit like that matters to you, otherwise you wouldn't have so selfishly left your friends."  
  
"I'm not-" she began.  
  
"Not what? Not selfish? I beg to differ. Selfish are the damned, and coming here was a damned thing to do! You think you'll live through an encounter with him when no one else has? What about your precious little Cloud? Even he couldn't beat that messed up dickhead, and somehow you think that just because you're an Ancient that you can!" Her face fell, and he bit his lip so hard that he tasted blood.  
  
"Sorry." His voice was rough, and the word came out husky. Then again, it wasn't a word he used a lot. "I'm not going, though," he added, and stormed off in the direction she'd been gazing. Wordlessly, she followed quickly. Tall blades of grass, thick as a jungle, barred the end of a dusty path, and Reno squinted into the depths of the grass that was twice his height or more.  
  
"It's near here," she said softly, coming up behind him and making him jump. He glowered at her.  
  
"No sneaking up on me," he warned. "Or I might mistake your pretty face for Sephiroth's, and jam my night staff halfway through your skull." She seemed unaffected by his graphic threat, and pushed past him into the blades of grass. Suddenly, she shrieked, and Reno swallowed in shock when he saw the stream of blood flowing down her arm. He pulled her back, and held his hand to the cut firmly.  
  
"The grass. it's sharp," she said.  
  
"Talk about stating the obvious," he said, shaking his head. He glanced at the cut, and frowned when he saw that it had completely healed. Aeris flushed, and she pulled her arm away.  
  
"I'm fine."  
  
"No shit. How'd you do that?" She didn't answer, just stared thoughtfully at the grass rising above her. Then, in one quick motion, she blasted a fireball at the entire area. Reno was thrown back by the shockwave, and landed hard on his butt a few metres away. Within seconds, the grass had crumbled to the ground in a pile of ash, leaving the trail open to follow. Aeris smiled, and continued. Reno hastily got to his feet, calling after her.  
  
"No more fire, all right? Almost blasted my sorry ass halfway to Mideel."  
  
  
  
AN: Hiya! Remember me? Lol. Sorry it's been, what, a month or so? Maybe two? I was a little unmotivated, you might say. Anyhow, I've decided to give y'all shorter chapters now, cause then I'll be able to post them quicker, and make everyone happy! Yay! *mumble* Yes, I am alive. I just disappeared for awhile. like Seph! Speaking of the angel, where is he? Hehehehehe.. 


End file.
